Brampton Gurdwaras at Centre of $15M Scandal as Tamil Memorial Defaced and Punjabi Dating App Launches
Former Brampton MP Raj Grewal faces a widening legal storm after lenders launched a lawsuit alleging that two well-known GTA Gurdwaras were used to secure $15 million in loans while his debts reportedly exceeded $200 million. Separately, Peel Regional Police charged a 14-year-old with hate-motivated mischief after Brampton's Tamil Genocide Memorial was spray-painted with derogatory messages, and a new Punjabi Sikh matchmaking app called Kimari opened its doors to Brampton residents.
🗳️ Former MP's $15M Gurdwara Loan Lawsuit
Mississauga-based lawyer and former Brampton MP Raj Grewal has been named in a new lawsuit involving two prominent GTA Gurdwaras — the Sikh Spiritual Centre Toronto, known as the Etobicoke Gurdwara, and Brampton's Nanaksar Gurdwara. Filed September 4 by two Hamilton-based private lenders, SSMT Management Inc. and Oculus Mortgage GP Inc., the suit alleges that $15 million in loans provided last year were guaranteed by Grewal against both houses of worship. At the time the Gurdwaras were used as collateral, court documents indicate that Grewal, the companies he controlled, and family members intertwined in some of his real estate transactions were more than $200 million in debt.
Also named as defendants in the lawsuit are Amarjit Singh Deol, who serves as president of both Gurdwaras, and Gurmail Singh Nirman, listed as treasurer and director of the Sikh Spiritual Centre Toronto. According to the lawsuit, interest-only payments on the loan were missed when the rate stood at 24 percent — equal to $300,000 per month — and since May more than $1.5 million in interest alone had gone unpaid. What was done with approximately $12.5 million of the funds that the two lenders provided toward the total remains unclear.
The case adds to roughly two dozen lawsuits that Grewal and the law firm he founded, RSG Law, are facing. In a separate matter involving approximately $6 million in counterfeit cheques deposited by a lawyer who worked at RSG Law, court documents show that once the fraudulent funds reached RSG's trust account, a wire payment of $250,000 was immediately made from that account to the RBC account of the Sikh Spiritual Centre Toronto on April 14. Grewal's lawyer, Simon Bieber, issued a brief statement claiming the latest matter has been resolved, without addressing the substance of the lawsuit. [2]
🤝 Kimari Punjabi Sikh Dating App Debuts in Brampton
A new matchmaking app tailored to the Punjabi Sikh community officially launched in Brampton on September 14, 2026. Called Kimari and operated by Doppi, Inc., the service is designed to combine community-based introductions with hands-on human concierge support, setting it apart from conventional swiping apps. Members begin by creating a profile and activating their search. A human concierge then reviews potential matches and presents introductions; each party can accept or pass on a proposed introduction before any meeting is arranged. When both sides agree to proceed, the concierge coordinates a time and location — always a public café — for a first coffee date.
Kimari markets its method as First Coffee + 3 Dates: an initial coffee meeting followed by up to three additional dates with the same person, provided both parties wish to continue. By the fourth encounter, members are encouraged to have an honest conversation about whether they want to pursue a serious relationship. Either person can choose to end the process at any stage, and no one is required to proceed beyond a point where they are comfortable.
The service focuses first on connecting people who have both selected Punjabi Sikh as their community background. According to the company, this shared starting point is intended to give members common ground from the outset, while still leaving room for each person to define what faith, culture, language and family mean to them individually. Kimari notes that a shared background alone does not establish compatibility and that the structured approach is meant to encourage deliberate, unhurried connection. Registration is free. Kimari is operated by San Francisco-based Doppi, Inc. and selected Brampton as its Canadian launch city. [4]
Teen Charged After Tamil Genocide Memorial Vandalized in Hate Crime
A 14-year-old boy from Brampton has been arrested and charged in connection with a hate crimes investigation after the Tamil Genocide Memorial at Chinguacousy Park was vandalized. According to Peel Regional Police, the memorial was spray-painted with derogatory messages. Police received reports of the vandalism on March 20, and following an investigation the boy was arrested on March 31 and charged with two counts of mischief over $5,000. The case will proceed before the Ontario Court of Justice at a future date. Because the accused is a youth, his identity is protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act and cannot be publicly released.
The Tamil Genocide Memorial at Chinguacousy Park was unveiled in May 2025, following years of advocacy by Brampton's Tamil community to have a permanent public monument honouring the victims of the genocide in Sri Lanka. The defacement drew a sharp response from Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah, who addressed the community in an official release. Duraiappah stated that Peel Regional Police will not tolerate vandalism, especially hate-motivated crimes targeting spaces that are meaningful to communities. He added that people across the region have the right to feel safe in public spaces.
The case drew wider attention to the significance of the memorial for Brampton's Tamil diaspora community. The accused youth's subsequent court appearance will be scheduled before the Ontario Court of Justice, where the charges will be heard under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act governing young offenders. [7]
Sources: [2] The Pointer · [4] 24-7 Press Release · [7] CBC