A Richmond man who failed to report almost $7.5 million in income from flipping homes, and was sentenced to a conditional sentence and fines of more than $2.1 million, won't be going to a wedding or a trip to India while on house arrest.
“You’re serving a jail sentence in the community,” Vancouver Provincial Court Judge Kathryn Denhoff said. “If you were serving a sentence in a correction facility, you wouldn’t be going to India.”
Balkar Singh Bhullar pleaded guilty in August 2023 to one count of tax evasion under the Income Tax Act.
This came after he failed to report almost $7.5 million in income from flipping homes, and was sentenced in provincial court to a conditional sentence and fines of more than $2.1 million.
A Canada Revenue Agency investigation showed Bhullar failed to report $7,485,246 in taxable income for the years 2011, 2012 and 2014.
Bhullar was back in court June 10 seeking some exceptions to his house arrest—a sentence handed down partially so he could care for his ill wife.
He wanted to be able to go to a family wedding June 23, take three weeks out to go to India to deal with a real estate issue and possibly go to Costco in the U.S.
Denhoff was having none of it, repeatedly explaining to Bhullar that he was serving a jail sentence in the community.
Exceptions to house arrest would be made only for “compelling reasons,” she said. “You’re serving a jail sentence in your home.”
Then, the idea of being able to go shopping in the U.S. came up.
“You’re not permitted to go out,” Denhoff said.
“You can’t go to Calgary or Winnipeg or Toronto without permission of your conditional sentence supervisor.
“Going shopping in the United States is not a compelling reason.”
Bhullar was sentenced to house arrest Dec. 19, 2024. That changes to a curfew in September.
The fine
Bhullar indicated to the court that he thought the $2.1-million fine disappeared when the conditional sentence ordered ended.
“It’s a mandatory fine,” Denhoff said.
Federal Crown prosecutor Chris Tait said there would be an application to discuss the payment plan once the house arrest has ended.
The minimum payment is $25 a month, Tait said.
Bhullar told Denhoff he had been making his payments.
Tait, however, said Bhullar has already breached the payment order but gave no details.
