Pubdate: Tue, 05 Feb 2008
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2008 The Province
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/theprovince/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Lora Grindlay, The Province

MURDERED TEEN HAD FACED DRUG CHARGES

No Reasons Given As Case Stayed

Nine days before he was shot and left to die on an East Vancouver
street, drug charges against Pritpal Singh Virk were stayed.

Virk, 19, faced charges of producing, possessing and trafficking of a
controlled substance along with willfully resisting arrest after an
incident near Vanderhoof last May.

Virk was the passenger in a pot-filled SUV that plunged into the
Nechako River after fleeing an RCMP road check.

Virk was rescued from the riverbank but the body of the driver,
Richmond's Daljit Sandhu, 19, was pulled from the river two months
later.

Virk faced the drug charges with co-accused Aaron Takhar,
22.

Takhar, who had rented the SUV, was travelling in another car ahead of
Sandhu and Virk. He was stopped by police at the roadcheck.

According to information filed at the Prince George court registry,
the charges were stayed against both Virk and Takhar on Jan. 24, for
undisclosed reasons.

Federal prosecutors in Ottawa did not return a call from The Province
yesterday.

Takhar, contacted yesterday. said only: "I don't know [Virk]. I wasn't
in the same vehicle as him. You are mistaken."

Vancouver police Const. Tim Fanning said the investigation into Virk's
murder, the city's fourth murder this year, is continuing.

On 54th Avenue near Fraser Street, a residential street where Virk was
gunned down late Saturday, his family posted a poignant note on the
trunk of a tree, beneath which flowers were placed.

The noted portrayed Virk as a scared young man who had regrets about
getting involved with people "he shouldn't have."

"His family didn't know that he was in this much trouble. So much
trouble that someone wanted to take his life," the note read.

"Prit had told his family this week that he was going to change and
was going to start working and helping his mom."

He had worked for three days last week and took the weekend off, the
typed note said.

It added: "Don't worry Prit you don't have to be scared anymore.
You're with God and he won't let anything happen to you there. None of
your enemies can reach you there."

The note was signed with love from Mom, Preeti, Jas, Nana, Nani, Mama,
Mami, Karm and all family and friends.

The Virk family told reporters last year they believed a house fire at
their Seaport Avenue home in Richmond was the result of an arson attack.

The Virks and their tenants said they heard something being thrown
through a window just before the blaze began Dec. 16 at 3:30 a.m.

Despite the allegations, however, Richmond fire officials said at the
time there was no evidence of accelerants at the home.

The house was boarded up and vacant yesterday. 
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