Toronto: NRI man denied parole in shootout case

Toronto: A 38-year-old Indian-origin man, jailed for a 2002 strip club shootout, has been denied day parole in Canada.

The Parole Board of Canada denied Jagrup Singh's appeal for day parole when it came up for hearing Thursday, The Province reportedFriday.

On the evening of April, 2002, Singh and two of friends had got into an argument with staff at Delanie’s Exotic Show Pub in Surrey in the Canadian province of British Columbia and were thrown out.

Outside the pub, Singh pulled out a gun and fired several shots at the crowd in front of the pub.

One of the bullets hit club patron Rick Lof, who was celebrating the 19th birthday of a friend’s cousin at the club, in the head just inside the pub entrance.

Singh and his friends fled the spot, but he was charged about a week later.

Singh was sentenced in December 2003 to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 13 years.

At the time of the murder, Singh, originally from India, was classified as a permanent resident but not a citizen of Canada.

A deportation order was issued following his sentence.

According to the parole board, Singh can be deported from the country as soon as he is released from the jail.

Singh, who now cannot apply for parole again for a year, however, will be eligible for full parole in April 2015.

Jim Lof, the victim's younger brother, said his family was relieved at the decision of the parole.

“It was a good outcome as far as that goes,” he said.