PTI — Ottawa, Updated: 04:44 PM Apr 30, 2026 IST
An Indian-origin man who was 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, was sentenced earlier this month for a 2023 incident in Thessalon; Justice Michael Varpio imposed the 18-month sentence on April 21 at the Sault Courthouse.
Govindbalunikam pleaded guilty. His lawyer had asked the court for a conditional discharge to avoid triggering deportation, arguing that a custodial sentence of six months or more would render him inadmissible under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and subject him to removal from Canada.
Court documents say 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 rejected that framing, noting Govindbalunikam is intelligent and has lived in Canada long enough to understand local norms, and concluded a sentence was necessary to “denounce and deter” the conduct. Because the sentence exceeds the six-month threshold in the immigration law, Govindbalunikam may face deportation after completing his jail term.
