Workers did 'pretty much everything' at the hotel
A Manitoba hotel owner accused of human trafficking and exploiting foreign workers has been granted bail, following allegations that four employees from India were underpaid, forced to work excessive hours, and threatened with deportation, according to a report.
Jai Inder Sandhu, 63, appeared in a Winnipeg courtroom on Wednesday, where Judge Robert Heinrichs outlined the conditions of his release, CBC reported.
The judge noted that Sandhu must abide by a curfew, surrender his Canadian passport to the RCMP within 48 hours, and have no contact with the four complainants or his co-accused, Satbir Sandhu, unless accompanied by legal counsel or for court purposes.
His bail was set at $10,000 cash, with sureties totalling $40,000. He is also required to reside at a specific address in Winnipeg and cannot move without court approval, according to the CBC report.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in Manitoba began their investigation on Feb. 9, when officers from the Portage la Prairie RCMP detachment responded to a disturbance at a hotel in the community.
Two female workers then reported possible labour trafficking taking place at the same establishment. RCMP later identified two more victims, the police said.
“Officers discovered the victims were recruited from another country and promised legal work, fair wages, and affordable living in Manitoba through a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) agreement,” police said.
The four did "pretty much everything" at the hotel, from working the front counter and the restaurant to cleaning, RCMP said, according to CBC.
“The victims were working 15-hour days and being paid well under the minimum wage requirements. In addition, threats of deportation and intimidation tactics were being used to keep the victims working. In one instance, the victim’s identification documents were being withheld,” police said in a press release.
Sandhu was charged with:
- Trafficking in Persons x4,
- Material Benefit – Trafficking
- Withholding/Destroying Documents
- Trafficking
- Uttering Threats x 2
Meanwhile, 48-year-old female Satbir Sandhu, who also was an owner of the hotel, was charged with:
- Trafficking in Persons x4
- Material Benefit – Trafficking
Police did not identify the hotel by name, but CBC confirmed Jai Inder Sandhu is an owner of the Howard Johnson hotel in Portage la Prairie.
