Mission Veterinarian Rabinderjit Singh, who is known to his fellow Veterinarian and friends as Ravi, has gone through extensive surgery to repair his eye following an alleged attack with a drinking glass by fellow veterinarian Harjinder Singh Sekhon, who is on the Investigation Committee of the College of Veterinarians of British Columbia (CVBC). According to Singh’s friends, doctors are telling him he could have permanent damage, although he is still seeking more opinions on the grave injury. There are also visible scars on his face from the attack, which may leave a permanent disfigurement on his face, Singh’s friends told the LINK. According to Deputy Anders of Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, Sekhon denied he hit Singh at all and claimed that victim was just drunk and fell down and as a result of falling down Singh suffered the injuries to his face. But Anders located the broken glass in the kitchen garbage, which the mutual friend of Singh and Sekhon, told police that he had cleaned up.
By R. Paul Dhillon
SURREY – Prominent Indo-Canadian veterinarian Harjinder Singh Sekhon, who is on Investigation Committee of the College of Veterinarians of British Columbia (CVBC), is facing some serious charges across the border where he was arrested and charged with second-degree assault by Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office following an attack with a drinking glass on another Indo-Canadian veterinarian from BC.
Sekhon, who has been criticized by Indo-Canadian Veterinarians For Justice (VFJ) for siding with what they charge is discriminatory CVBC administration, was arrested following his attack on Rabinderjit Singh at their mutual friend’s house in Bellingham.
The Indo-Canadian veterinarians also accuse Sekhon on being instrumental in helping the former BC Veterinary Medical Association (BCVMA) bring in the discriminatory English test that sought to keep many immigrant veterinarians from becoming licensed and fully qualified to practise in BC,
Due to the seriousness of charges, Sekhon was allegedly jailed for a number of days before getting bail.
According to information from the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office and Whatcom County Prosecuting Attorney’s office, on July 6 at about 2:49 am, the police responded to a report of an assault at a residence at 27 Deer Run Lane in Bellingham, Washington.
“At the scene Rabinderjit Singh reported that his friend Harjinder Sekhon, struck him in the face with a glass during an argument,” said a writ in the Superior Court of the State of Washington for Whatcom County.
“Singh said they had both been drinking and were sitting on the living room couch having a discussion which evolved into an argument. He said that during the argument Sekhon hit him in the left side of the face with a drinking glass,” the writ said.
Responding police officer Deputy Anders observed obvious injuries to the left side of the face of the victim, including his left eye and his nose. According to the officer, Singh’s face and nose had significant cuts on them and his face was in the process of swelling.
“There were bruises on his face and his left eye had turned red from blood. Singh indicated he had trouble seeing out of and closing his left eye at this time,” Deputy Anders said.
Victim Rabinderjit Singh, who is known to his fellow Veterinarians and friends as Ravi, has gone through extensive surgery to repair the eye. According to Singh’s friends, doctors are telling him he could have permanent damage, although he is still seeking more opinions on the grave injury. There are also visible scars on his face from the attack, which may leave a permanent disfigurement on his face, Singh’s friends told the LINK.
According to Deputy Anders, Sekhon denied he hit Singh at all. Sekhon claimed that victim Singh was just drunk and fell down and as a result of falling down Singh suffered the injuries to his face.
But Anders located the broken glass in the kitchen garbage, which the mutual friend of Singh and Sekhon told police that he had cleaned up the glass.
“Blood was also located on the living room near the couch where Singh indicated he had been assaulted. The mutual friend refused to collaborate Singh’s claim that Sekhon hit him. However, he also refused to collaborate Sekhon’s version of the story. The mutual friend did confirm that a glass was broken during an argument,” Anders said in his police report.
Deputy Anders said in his report that injuries to Singh’s face do not appear consistent with falling down. “The injuries appeared consistent with being hit in the face with an object,” Anders said in his report.
Prosecuting Attorney Christopher D. Quinn in his filing of the Second Degree Assault charge again Sekhon wrote in his affidavit: “By the authority of the State of Washington and by this information do accuse Harjinder S. Sekhon with the crimes of Assault In The Second Degree committed as follows: ‘That on or about the 6th of July, 2014, the said defendant, Harjinder S. Sekhon, then and there being in said county and state , did intentionally assault another person, to wit: Rabinderjit Singh, and thereby did recklessly inflict substantial bodily harm, contrary to Revised Code of Washington 9A..36.021 (1) (a): all off which violation is a Class B Felony, punishable pursuant to 9A.20.021 (1) (b).”
According to filed affidavits, the punishment for the offence under Washington State law if the defendant is found Guilty is 10 years in jail and $20,000 fine.
Sekhon was released on $5000 bail and asked to appear for all his court dates. Sekhon, who lives in Surrey, BC, will have to appear in Washington State for all his court dates and if he fails to appear, the State has the authority to seek an arrest warrant and forfeiture of Sekhon’s bail.
By court order, Sekhon cannot have any contact with the victim and must only communicate with him through his attorney.
The LINK contacted the office of the College of Veterinarians of British Columbia for a comment on Sekhon’s case but were told that their Registrar was not in the office and no one else could comment on the matter.
Charges against Sekhon are not yet proven in court.
The case is expected to go to trial in September 2014.
