By: Express News ServiceChandigarh | December 25, 2025 03:26 PM IST 3 min readA 22-year-old Indian-origin man has been sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison by a Canadian court for his role in an organised extortion and arson racket that targeted members of the South Asian homebuilding community in Edmonton.Parminder Singh’s sentencing is part of Project Gaslight, which has charged seven other people of Indian origin, mostly in their late teens or twenties, including a young woman.Singh, described by prosecutors as a “mid- to high-level member” of the gang, pleaded guilty to extortion for a criminal organisation, discharging a firearm at a residence, and pointing a firearm at a police officer. He admitted to firing nine shots into a homebuilder’s house on October 11, 2023, on instructions from senior gang members. Even while in custody, he continued coordinating gang activities through phone calls from jail.After accounting for time already served, Singh will spend about four more years in prison. As an Indian national, he is expected to face deportation once his sentence is complete.The sentencing is part of Project Gaslight, a sweeping Edmonton Police Service (EPS) investigation into an extortion racket that terrorised wealthy South Asian homebuilders with demands for protection money, often running into hundreds of thousands of dollars. Non-payment led to drive-by shootings and arson attacks, mainly at houses under construction, inflicting damage worth tens of millions of dollars across 40 incidents between October 2023 and July 2024.The police believe the operation was directed from abroad by Maninder Singh Dhaliwal, 35, who fled Edmonton as the violence escalated. He was later arrested in the United Arab Emirates on unrelated charges. Canada has formally sought his extradition, but the process is expected to take time due to the absence of an extradition treaty with the UAE.Seven people were charged in the case, including Dhaliwal, in a Canada-wide warrant. Most were of Punjabi descent and in their late teens or early twenties, with several reported to be recent immigrants or international students from Punjab.So far, five accused have pleaded guilty and been sentenced:Story continues below this ad– Parminder Singh, 22: 7.5 years– Gurkaran Singh, 20: 7 years, for coordinating money laundering and arson– Manav Singh Heer, 20: sentenced for arson and extortion offences– Divnoor Asht, 19–20: 4.5 years– A 17-year-old youth: maximum youth sentenceAnother accused, Jashandeep Kaur (19–20), faces related proceedings, while alleged shooter Arjun Sahnan, who fled to India, was arrested upon his return.Although Project Gaslight brought an end to the extortion spree by mid-2024, the Edmonton police have warned of a “fresh wave of similar crimes in 2025”, possibly linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, recently designated a terrorist entity in Canada. Investigators said the new threats follow the same pattern of WhatsApp-based demands, intimidation, and targeted violence against community members.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Canadaextortion