Raj Grewal sued over $15M in gurdwara-backed loans; Tamil memorial defaced; Kimari Sikh app launches in Brampton
Brampton's South Asian communities face a significant week of news: a major civil lawsuit has drawn two prominent GTA gurdwaras into former MP Raj Grewal's expanding legal troubles; a teenager has been charged with a hate crime after the Tamil Genocide Memorial at Chinguacousy Park was defaced; and the city becomes the launch market for Kimari, a new Punjabi Sikh matchmaking app. Across legal, civic, and community fronts, Brampton's South Asian landscape is in motion.
🗳️ Raj Grewal sued after $15M loans secured against two GTA gurdwaras
The Pointer reported that former Brampton MP and Mississauga-based lawyer Raj Grewal has been sued in a case involving two well-known Greater Toronto Area gurdwaras — the Sikh Spiritual Centre Toronto, commonly known as the Etobicoke Gurdwara, and Brampton's Nanaksar Gurdwara — which were used to secure $15 million in loans taken out while Grewal was reportedly more than $200 million in total debt. The lawsuit was filed on September 4, 2026, by two linked Hamilton-based private lenders. According to court documents, the loans were arranged in spring 2025 at a 24 percent interest rate requiring monthly interest-only payments of approximately $300,000. Those payments were missed beginning in May 2026, leaving more than $1.5 million in unpaid interest. The two gurdwaras and their administrators are named as defendants alongside Grewal. Grewal's lawyer and a representative of the Sikh Spiritual Centre Toronto each claimed the matter had been resolved, but the plaintiffs' counsel confirmed the case remained active as of September 16. The Pointer noted that a separate case involving approximately $6 million in counterfeit cheques deposited by an RSG Law lawyer also resulted in a $250,000 wire payment to the Sikh Spiritual Centre Toronto. Grewal and RSG Law currently face approximately two dozen lawsuits in total. [2]
Boy charged after Tamil Genocide Memorial defaced in Brampton hate crime
CBC News reported that a 14-year-old boy was arrested and charged with two counts of mischief over $5,000 after Brampton's Tamil Genocide Memorial at Chinguacousy Park was spray-painted with derogatory messages. Peel Regional Police said reports of the vandalism were received on March 20, 2026, and the suspect — a Brampton resident — was arrested on March 31. Because of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the boy's identity cannot be publicly released. The Tamil Genocide Memorial was unveiled in May 2025 after a years-long advocacy effort by Brampton's Tamil community to secure formal public recognition of the atrocities of the Sri Lankan civil war. The monument at Chinguacousy Park honors victims of genocide in Sri Lanka and stands as a significant landmark for the city's Tamil population. Peel Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah condemned the act in a statement, calling it a hate-motivated crime targeting a space of community meaning. 'Peel Regional Police will not tolerate vandalism — especially hate-motivated crimes of spaces that are meaningful to our communities,' Duraiappah said. 'People across the region have the right to feel safe in public spaces.' The case is scheduled to proceed before the Ontario Court of Justice. [6]
🤝 Punjabi Sikh matchmaking app Kimari launches in Brampton
A press release via 24-7PressRelease announced the September 14, 2026 launch of Kimari, a Punjabi Sikh dating app operated by San Francisco-based Doppi, Inc., with Brampton, Ontario as its first major market. The service combines community-based introductions with human concierge support under what the company calls a 'First Coffee + 3 Dates' approach. After users create a profile and activate a search, a concierge reviews potential introductions and, when both parties agree to meet, coordinates a first meeting at a local public café. First introductions connect only people who have each selected Punjabi Sikh as their community, providing a shared cultural and religious starting point while leaving room for individuals to define what faith, language, culture, and family mean in their own lives. Kimari's model distinguishes itself from algorithm-driven apps by emphasizing human curation: an initial coffee meeting is followed by up to three additional dates with the same person before both are encouraged to discuss whether they want a serious relationship. Either person may stop at any stage. Registration is free with no subscription fee required. The Brampton launch reflects the city's large and well-established Punjabi Sikh population and its status as a hub of Indo-Canadian community life. [4]
Sources: [2] The Pointer · [6] CBC · [4] 24-7PressRelease.com