Former Winnipeg Sikh priest accused of stealing more than $400K in donations to gurdwara

A Sikh religious organization in Winnipeg claims that its former head priest stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in donation money from people who attended the Sikh temple to practise their religion.

Gurdwara Kalgidhar Darbar Inc., which operates the temple in northwest Winnipeg, has filed a lawsuit alleging that Sukhwinder Singh, its former priest, had about $420,000 in stolen cash that came from donations to the religious organization, referred to as Kalgidhar.

Winnipeg Police Service Const. Claude Chancy says Sukhwinder Singh was charged in November 2024 with theft over $5,000 and two counts of possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000. The charges are still before the court.

In its lawsuit filed March 17 in Court of King's Bench, Kalgidhar seeks to recover the stolen money from Singh, who served as head priest of the temple for about 13 years, from 2011 to 2024, when his employment was terminated. 

The next hearing date is April 1. Singh has not filed a statement of defence.

As head priest, Singh's duties included handling cash donations from congregants, which could have been dropped off at the temple or made for services such as weddings.

Security video

Kalgidhar is a federally registered charity managed by a volunteer board of directors and operates the temple on King Edward Street in northwest Winnipeg for the advancement of the Sikh religion, the lawsuit says.

Last September, a volunteer observed Singh handling "large quantities of cash at the temple in a suspicious manner," the statement of claim says.

"A subsequent review of security camera footage revealed the defendant removing cash from donation boxes at the temple," the document says.

"The video footage depicts the defendant opening the donation box, dumping the cash onto a sheet, and then bundling it up."

Kalgidhar reported what happened to police, who arrested Singh.

Further investigation found about $420,000 in cash in Singh's living quarters at the temple. 

Wrapped in sheets

The money consisted mainly of $100, $50 and $20 bills, the court document says, and was "concealed in plastic boxes wrapped in bedsheets." The money was seized by police.

"In addition to the stolen funds, which total $420,000, Kalgidhar suspects and alleges that the defendant has misappropriated as much as approximately $1.5-$2 million in this manner," the lawsuit says.

It alleges Singh used donation funds for his personal benefit, including to buy a house in Winnipeg, to acquire assets in India and to send money to contacts in India.

The court document says that Singh was born in India and lived there prior to working with Kalgidhar in Winnipeg, and that Kalgidhar put significant effort and expense into sponsoring him for immigration purposes. 

Singh gained permanent resident status in Canada around 2021, the document says, and professional and application fees associated with Singh's immigration file cost about $20,000. 

Once in his role as head priest, Singh "was expected to carry on a simple lifestyle, fully devoted to his duties," according to Sikh custom, the document says. He was paid about $12,000 annually. 

Kalgidhar alleges that in 2019 Singh purchased a house in Winnipeg for $332,000 and he owns the property without any mortgage.

Given Singh's modest salary and his obligations to the temple in employment as head priest, "the Manitoba property could not have been purchased with the defendant's personal funds, and it was purchased using misappropriated donation funds," the statement of claim says. 

The lawsuit seeks a court order that the property be held in trust for the plaintiff and that Singh be prevented from selling or transferring the property until the court has made a decision on the case. 

Patrick Rykes, Kalgidhar's lawyer, declined to comment on the case.