CHANDIGARH: A veteran, high-profile Vancouver police officer of Indian origin, who hails from Punjab and founded a charity for at-risk children, has been charged with fraud, theft and breach of trust following a lengthy undercover investigation by his own department.
According to Canadian media reports, Kalwinder (Kal) Dosanjh, 50, who is also the CEO of the Surrey-based KidsPlay Foundation, was arrested in Surrey. His lawyers have denied any wrongdoing.
“Dosanjh has committed no crime and is innocent of any wrongdoing. An arrest, or a report that an arrest has occurred, is not evidence of guilt, misconduct or criminal responsibility,” the law firm Alliance Lawyers stated.
Meanwhile, the Vancouver Police Department said the charges stem from a covert investigation that lasted about two and a half years. A press conference is scheduled for Friday morning (Canada time) to provide further details. Chief Constable Steve Rai and Superintendent Mike Ritchie, who led the investigation, are expected to address the media.
Damienne Darby of the BC Prosecution Service said Dosanjh faces nine counts, including four counts of fraud over $5,000, four counts of theft over $5,000, and one count of breach of trust by a public officer. His co-accused, Sarabjit Singh Gill, 51, faces six fraud and theft counts.
The alleged offences took place between 8 December 2017 and 25 July 2025, in or around Vancouver, Surrey and other locations in British Columbia.
According to court records, Dosanjh appeared at the Justice Centre and remains in custody until his next court appearance at Vancouver Provincial Court on 17 September, when a date will be set. The court has also imposed a publication ban on Dosanjh’s bail hearing, which has not yet been scheduled.
Police are understood to have conducted searches at several locations, including the Surrey offices of the KidsPlay Foundation. Dosanjh founded the organisation in 2015. It became a registered charity in 2019, according to federal government records. Dosanjh was listed as a director until 2025, the records indicate. The charity’s website says he remains its CEO.
Dosanjh has received several awards for his work with KidsPlay, including the King Charles III Coronation Medal and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal.
Dosanjh has been with the Vancouver Police Department for more than 25 years and has served in several roles, including as a senior detective in the Financial Crimes Unit.
None of the allegations has been proven in court.
