PTI
Ottawa, Updated At : 04:44 PM Apr 30, 2026 IST
An Indian-origin man sentenced to 18 months in jail for abducting a child in Canada may be deported to India after serving his term, CTV News reported. Manoj Govindbalunikam, 37, received the sentence earlier this month for a 2023 incident in Thessalon. Justice Michael Varpio imposed the sentence on April 21 at the Sault Courthouse.
Govindbalunikam pleaded guilty; his lawyer had asked for a conditional discharge to avoid triggering deportation. The defence argued that a prison term of six months or more would render him inadmissible under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and subject to removal from Canada.
According to court documents, Govindbalunikam spoke with the nine-year-old victim, offered a fidget spinner, gave the child his business card and later offered to drive him home. When the vehicle reached the child’s residence, the victim asked the driver to stop; the driver slowed but continued past the house.
The defence characterised the episode as a “cultural misunderstanding.” Justice Varpio, however, said Govindbalunikam is intelligent and has lived in Canada long enough to understand local norms, and concluded that a sentence was necessary to “denounce and deter” his conduct.
