Indo-Canadian Cop Caught On Video Punching A Man Charged With Assault

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Vancouver police officer Ismail Bhabha punches a man in the face during an arrest, footage of which was posted to YouTube in March this year.

Case Involving Turbaned Sikh Const. Ismail Bhabha Has Become A Lightening Rod For “VPD Brutality”!

The LINK was the first media outlet to identify the VPD cop Const. Ismail Bhabha as a turbaned Sikh who migrated from England some years ago after he married a Canadian woman who sponsored him and helped him in quest to join the VPD in our story “Officer Caught On Camera Throwing Punch In VPD Police Brutality Video Is An Indo-Canadian.”

By R. Paul Dhillon

With News Files

VANCOUVER — An Indo-Canadian cop with the Vancouver Police Department (VPD), who was caught on video punching a man he was trying to arrest, has been charged with assault in connection to that incident.

The LINK was the first media outlet to identify the VPD cop Const. Ismail Bhabha as a turbaned Sikh who migrated from England some years ago after he married a Canadian woman who sponsored him and helped him in quest to join the VPD in our story “Officer Caught On Camera Throwing Punch In VPD Police Brutality Video Is An Indo-Canadian.”

“LINK sources confirmed that the bearded cop who is wearing a toque like head cap is an in fact a Sikh officer of the VPD. While there were rumours that he was an Indo-Canadian VPD officer on social media it was not confirmed. But the LINK confirmed this late Thursday evening with our source,” the LINK wrote in our March 31 edition.

In the video – Bhabha, who is now divorced from the woman who sponsored him, can be clearly heard speaking in an English accent.

Following outrage over the alleged VPD brutality after a video of the incident surfaced on the Internet, West Vancouver Police conducted the investigation involving Bhabha.

The footage shows Bhabha punching a cyclist he was attempting to handcuff during an arrest in March.

The officers involved said they were trying to arrest a man because he rode his bicycle through a red light and wasn’t wearing a helmet, reported CTV news.

The Office of the Police Complaints Commission ordered the West Vancouver police to investigate the allegations.

The Crown approved the recommendation of the single charge of assault this week and the charge was sworn against Bhabha in Vancouver provincial court on Friday.

The victim, Andishae Akhavan, was biking home in Yaletown at around 10:45 p.m. when two officers pulled him over and accused him of running a red light on Beatty Street, reported CTV news.

When police told him he was getting a ticket, the cyclist, who was also not wearing a helmet and had no lights on his bike, admits he did not comply quietly.

“I asked is there better things to be doing than giving tickets,” Akhavan said. “I might have used some words I wouldn’t use on TV, but it was in a completely civil manner.”

The officers decided to place him under arrest, at which point Akhavan’s friend Mike Schwarz recognized him from the street and ran over to film the exchange.

The footage, which was later posted to YouTube, shows Bhabha and his partner holding Akhavan’s arms behind his back and putting one of his hands in handcuffs.

When he starts to move his arms, one officer strikes him in the jaw.

“Relax your arm!” the officer commands.

Moments later, as Akhavan sits on the curb, he asks why he was punched.

“Because you was resisting,” the officer answers. “I was trying to put handcuffs on you and you pulled your arm away.”

Police also describe Akhavan’s behaviour as “confrontational” before his arrest. He was released on a promise to appear pending charge approval.

Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services treated Akhavan for a cut lip at the scene, but the victim said he sought additional care at a hospital afterward.

Victim Andishae Akhavan

Akhavan said he is still considering his options, but he wants police to suspend the officer, fire him or at least “make sure he doesn’t punch people in the face anymore when it’s not necessary.”