A Surrey man who shot another to death in 2008 will remain in prison after the appeal of his second-degree murder conviction was dismissed this week.
Raminder (Mindy) Singh Bhander was found guilty in July 2010 of shooting 24-year-old Tejvir (Sunny) Bains to death. He was handed a mandatory life sentence with no chance of parole for 10 years.
Bhander appealed the conviction, arguing the judge erred in admitting certain statements and that police violated his rights during questioning when he confessed to killing Bains. The three B.C. Court of Appeal justices disagreed and his appeal was denied in a Nov. 7 unanimous decision.
During the trial, the court heard that in late January 2008, Bhander, Bains and Bains' girlfriend had a fight at a Surrey restaurant. The run-in was followed by an angry voicemail left for Bhander.
Bhander then went his a friend's house and the two men went with a loaded gun to the townhouse shared by Bains and his girlfriend near 125 Street and 72 Avenue.
As Bhander neared the entrance, Bains came downstairs towards Bhander with a sword. Bhander fired the gun repeatedly, hitting Bains four times – twice in the back. Bains died at the scene. Bhander was arrested and charged a few weeks later.
During the trial, Bhander admitted he shot Bains, but claimed it was in self-defence.
At the time of Bhander's conviction, police said Bhander was a longtime gangster who was heavily involved in the drug trade and who they were happy to see off the streets.
"He was certainly a thug, who liked to beat on people and settle disputes as he did with this one," said Cpl. Dale Carr, then-spokesman for the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT). "Not a guy we want in the neighbourhood."