Alleged U.S. human smuggler under investigation by RCMP in death of Indian family at Canadian border

The RCMP is investigating a convicted fraudster and alleged human smuggler in connection with the death of an Indian family at the U.S.-Canada border in January, CBC's The Fifth Estate has learned.

The discovery of the Patel family, frozen to death in southern Manitoba, just metres from the U.S. border, put a spotlight on human smuggling operations involving Indian migrants using Canada as a stopover before illegally crossing south.

On Jan. 19, the bodies of three-year-old Dharmik Patel; his 11-year-old sister, Vihangi Patel; their mother, 37-year-old Vaishali Patel; and their father, 39-year-old Jagdish Patel; were found in a snow-covered field east of Emerson, about 100 kilometres south of Winnipeg.

But nine months after their deaths, the RCMP still haven't established basic details about the family's journey to the border and are looking at an accused human smuggler who was operating in Washington state.

Rajinder Pal Singh, a 48-year-old Indian citizen living illegally in the U.S., was previously convicted of bank fraud and forging documents. He was arrested in Washington state in May by special agents with U.S. Homeland Security after a four-year investigation and was charged with conspiracy to transport and harbour certain aliens for profit.

U.S. prosecutors allege that Singh was part of a network that smuggled Indian migrants over the British Columbia border near Blaine, Wash. 

Once the migrants crossed, Singh allegedly used the rideshare app Uber to pick them up near the border and transport them to safe houses around the Seattle area, according to the U.S. government complaint. He then arranged for flights or rides to the U.S. Midwest, including the greater Chicago area. Singh allegedly charged as much as $11,500 US per person for arranging the shuttle service.

Singh came to Manitoba RCMP's attention because of comments he made in January that were overheard as part of surveillance by U.S. Homeland Security investigators. 

According to a complaint filed in U.S. federal court, in January Singh is heard discussing recent U.S. Border Patrol arrests of illegal migrants entering the U.S. from Canada.

"[T]hey know from where these people are f--king coming. One hundred per cent (100%)," Singh is quoted as saying, according to the complaint.

"[S]o now if we [Indian smuggling organizations, generally] want to do this work, then we have to do it from Winnipeg. I spoke to [deleted] in Toronto. He has two drivers who can pick up people from that side," Singh said.

The conversation allegedly took place the same month the Patel family was being moved to the Canadian border in Manitoba.

In another recorded conversation that same month, Singh is allegedly caught talking about setting up safe houses in Canada: "I keep telling them that we need a person to house these people and to drop them off … in Canada. Then the entire game is in our hands." 

Canada is mentioned again in another January recording, when Singh is overheard talking about his smuggling fee.