Desi Today Magazine
GURSIMAR (Gary) Singh Bedi, who was charged with manslaughter using a firearm and accessory after the fact in the Maple Batalia murder case was on Friday convicted of being an accessory to murder after the fact in the 2011 killing of SFU student and model Maple Batalia, 19.
However, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Terence Schultes acquitted Bedi on the manslaughter charge.
Back in March the Crown had asked the judge to acquit Bedi on the manslaughter charge because it believed that it could not prove that though the accused could have foreseen that a confrontation would take place, it did not have evidence to prove that he knew there would be bodily harm.
The judge said that the Crown’s case was based on inferences to be drawn from circumstantial evidence, based on some of which he found the accused guilty of being an accessory to the murder after the fact.
A sentencing date will be determined on June 9.
Batalia was shot multiple times on September 28, 2011, at 1:10 a.m. on the third level of the SFU Campus / Central City parkade at 13450 102 Avenue in Surrey. She was rushed to hospital but died soon after. Gurjinder “Gary” Singh Dhaliwal and Gursimar Singh Bedi were charged in December 2012 in the case.
On March 7, Dhaliwal, 24, was sentenced to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 21 years for Maple’s murder. He had been charged with first-degree murder in her death, but suddenly pled guilty to second-degree murder on March 3. Schultes said that immaturity, access to weapons and jealousy led to Batalia’s death.
At Bedi’s trial, Crown pointed out the several ways in which Bedi assisted Dhaliwal – from taking the rental vehicle used in the crime through a car wash to destroy any potential forensic evidence to suggesting to Dhaliwal they discuss an alibi and passing on information to him about the investigation that he picked up from other people who police had contacted. The Crown also said that Bedi served as Dhaliwal’s “eyes and ears” at the school.
