New details have been revealed in the Manitoba human trafficking case where an Indian family died from freezing in 2022 while attempting to enter the U.S. on foot during winter.
Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel is facing seven charges of human smuggling after allegedly arranging transportation for the family of four to the border near the rural community of Emerson, Man.
In legal documents in Minneapolis, prosecutors claim 28-year-old Patel had been informed of blizzard conditions before dropping off Jagdish Patel, his wife Vaishaliben, and their 11-year-old daughter Vihangi and three-year-old son Dharmik. It’s unclear if the family was related to the defendant as Patel is a common surname in India.
The records also connect Patel with a human trafficking organization from India, which uses student visas to bring Indian citizens into Canada before assisting them in crossing into the U.S.
Patel is scheduled for a court appearance in Minnesota on Wednesday.
View image in full screen
THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Grand Forks County Correctional Center
Meanwhile, the man accused of driving the family to the border, Steve Shand of Florida, is also set to be arraigned Wednesday in Minneapolis on additional charges. Previously, he was charged with human smuggling but entered a plea of not guilty.
