British Columbia

Vancouver limo driver charged with sexual assault

CBC News has learned that a Vancouver limo driver facing criminal allegations from three female passengers has been charged with sexual assault.

The charge against limo driver Sukhwinder Bassarpuri was laid Nov. 6, 2018

Vancouver limo driver Sukhwinder Bassarpuri, owner of Armani Limousines, has been accused of sexual assault. (Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock)

CBC News has learned that a Vancouver limosine driver facing allegations from three female passengers has been charged with one count of sexual assault. 

The charge against limo driver Sukhwinder Bassarpuri was laid on Nov. 6, 2018. The charge doesn't appear in British Columbia's online court system and police didn't confirm it when CBC News spoke with them last month.

Documents filed in Provincial Court say Bassarpuri is accused of sexual assault stemming from an alleged incident that took place between Jan. 1, 2017 and June 30, 2017. There is a publication ban on the victim's name. 

According to court documents filed as part of a civil forfeiture case, which the province filed last fall in order to seize Bassarpuri's limo, the driver is facing sexual assault allegations from three female passengers dating as far back as 2013

Documents filed with the civil forfeiture case say police recommended charges in all three cases. The documents show the Crown didn't approve the charges in the 2013 case. 

The Crown would not confirm if the current charge is linked to any of those three allegations, or if it stems from another incident. 

CBC News reached out to Bassarpuri through his lawyer. He declined to comment. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Maryse Zeidler

@MaryseZeidler

Maryse Zeidler is a reporter for CBC News on Vancouver Island. You can reach her at maryse.zeidler@cbc.ca.