Claim that confusion over the nature of visit led to action from Canadian authorities.
Chandigarh: The two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs from Punjab who were deported from Canada Monday denied that they were sent back to India because one of them faced criminal charges.
The two, Amarjeet Singh Sandoa and Kultar Singh Sandhwan, were stopped at the Ottawa airport over the weekend for reasons that were not immediately clear. It was suspected that a criminal case against Sandoa, who faces charges of alleged molestation and criminal intimidation, may have played a role in the decision, with a former AAP volunteer claiming he had tipped off the Canadian immigration authorities about it.
In a press statement released from party headquarters Monday, however, Sandhwan denied the allegations and said the whole episode was due to “confusion” over whether their visit was personal or political in nature.
Confusion led to action
In the statement, Sandhwan said that he along with Sandoa reached the Ottawa airport Sunday afternoon when after getting clearance from immigration authorities, they were questioned by officers of the Canada Border Services.
Sandhwan said that he was asked if the tour was personal or political as when he had applied for a visa, he had termed his visit as being purely personal. According to Sandhwan, during questioning, he told authorities that his visit was personal but if AAP workers wanted him to address them, he would do so.
Sandhwan said the Canadian authorities then sought a schedule of his political activities, to which he replied that he could not furnish one as the meetings had not been fixed yet. He said the authorities then accused him of hiding details and even after repeated requests, did not allow the MLAs to enter Canada.
According to the statement, Canadian authorities told the two men to furnish the details and then apply for the visa afresh. Sandhwan said that both men were then sent back to India.
On his part, Sandoa claimed that Canadian authorities did not say anything of the case against him. He said he was questioned over why he had not brought along his family, something he had mentioned in his initial visa form. Sandoa added that he told authorities there that since his children were going to school, he could not bring his family along.