Punjab-Origin Uber Driver in Canada Charged After Following Victim to Assault Her a Second Time
Uber Driver from Punjab Arrested In Canada: Halton Police charge a 25-year-old Punjab-origin Uber driver in Ontario after he allegedly assaulted a woman twice in one encounter. Full details on the case and what counts as assault.
North Desk Correspondent
Chandigarh, July 28
A 25-year-old ride-share driver of Punjab origin has been charged with two counts of sexual assault in Ontario, Canada, after he allegedly followed his victim from a GO station parking lot to a nearby business to assault her a second time within minutes, the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) said.
Mandeep Singh, now residing in Etobicoke, was arrested on July 26 following a weeks-long investigation by the force’s Child Abuse and Sexual Assault Unit (CASA). He was working as an Uber driver at the time of the alleged offence — a detail that has drawn added scrutiny given the trust placed in ride-share drivers who routinely pick up lone passengers.
Uber Driver from Punjab Arrested In Canada: But What happened
Uber Driver from Punjab Arrested In Canada: Police say the incident began on June 16 at around 5:15 pm in the south parking lot of the Burlington GO Station on Fairview Street. The accused approached an adult woman and began a conversation that, police allege, turned into a sexual assault on the spot.
The woman left immediately — but Singh allegedly followed her to a business a short distance away and assaulted her a second time there.
She did not suffer physical injuries, HRPS said. Investigators were able to identify Singh through the CASA probe, and he now faces a bail hearing in Milton.
Police fear more victims
Uber Driver from Punjab Arrested In Canada: HRPS has released Singh’s photograph and says investigators are concerned there may be additional victims given his occupation as a driver with regular access to passengers. Anyone with information, or anyone who believes they were victimized by him, is asked to contact CASA at 905-825-4777 ext. 8970, or Halton Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 or via www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
What counts as sexual assault
HRPS describes sexual assault as any non-consensual touching of a sexual nature that violates a person’s sexual integrity — a category that spans everything from unwanted kissing or groping to assault involving penetration. It can happen to anyone regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, or income, and the force notes that trauma responses vary widely from person to person: there is no single “normal” way a victim is expected to react, either during the incident or afterward.
Where charges are laid, both the Crown’s office and the Victim/Witness Assistance Program work alongside police to support the complainant through the process. Notably, HRPS points out sexual assault can be committed by anyone — a stranger, friend, partner, family member, or someone in a position of authority — not only by strangers in isolated settings.
What “consent” legally means in Ontario
Halton Police also lay out, in detail, what consent does and does not look like under Canadian law. Consent must be voluntary, mutual, and given at the actual time of the activity — and it can be withdrawn at any point, even mid-act, at which point the activity is legally required to stop. Both parties must understand what is happening, who they’re with, and the nature of the act, and must be free to refuse at any stage.
Per HRPS, consent is not considered valid where:
the person is unconscious;
they are incapacitated by drugs or alcohol;
they fear the consequences of refusing;
they feel threatened or intimidated;
they are coerced through intimidation, trickery, or abuse of a position of trust;
they are physically forced; or
they communicate “no” in words or actions — crying, pulling away, saying “not now,” or getting dressed again all count.
A physical or mental disability that prevents someone from giving informed, lawful consent also means consent was not given, HRPS notes.
No time limit to report
HRPS also stresses there is no statute of limitations on reporting a sexual assault in Canada — victims can come forward to police no matter how much time has passed since the incident. Victims of violence or sexual assault can additionally reach HRPS’s Victim Services Unit directly at 905-825-4777.
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