CRIME SCENE: Pickering religious leader faces seven sex assault charges

York Regional Police have charged a religious leader with seven counts of sexual assault.

Article content

Article content

Article content

Cops said the suspect, Pravin Ranijan, 44, of Toronto, was running religious studies out of a residence in Pickering.

Police said a victim alleged that, between January 2021 and October 2024, they had been sexually assaulted six times during spiritual study sessions that occurred in Pickering and Markham. A second victim alleged being sexually assaulted in December 2024.

York police have released an image of the suspect because they believe there may be additional victims who have not yet come forward.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7071 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS, or at 1800222tips.com.

4 SOUGHT FOR BREAK-IN

Four suspects are sought by York Regional Police following an early Saturday morning commercial break-and-enter around 1:45 a.m.

Article content

Article content

Cops alleged that four suspects, two of them armed, entered the premise in the area of Graham Sideroad and Dufferin St., confronted the victims and that during the interaction, one victim was pistol whipped.

Police said the suspects were unsuccessful in obtaining any items and it’s unknown if they left on foot or in a vehicle but as they fled an aerosol irritant was sprayed inside and shots were fired.

No one was struck or seriously injured but one adult male was transported to hospital with minor injuries.

The first suspect is described as male with tan skin colour, 25-35 years old, about 5-foot-11 and possibly with freckles around the eyes and last seen wearing a black, puffy vest with stitching lines in a diamond pattern, dark pants and carrying a firearm with a brown handle.

Article content

The second suspect is described as a Black male, 30-35 years old, about 6 feet, with a slim build and a skin tag in the area of his right eye. He was last seen wearing all black clothing, a ski mask with no mouth hole and carrying a black firearm.

The third suspect is described as a Hispanic male, wearing dark clothing and carrying a black can with white writing that’s believed to be an aerosol irritant.

The four suspect is described as a male with dark clothing.

Investigators believe this is a targeted incident and are appealing for any witnesses or anyone who may have video surveillance or dashcam footage in the area at the time of the incident to call police at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7141, or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or at 1800222tips.com.

Article content

FAIL TO REMAIN

Ontario Provincial Police in Caledon responded to a failed to remain collision and charged a driver with over four times the legal limit with impaired operation.

Cops said that on April 10 shortly after 2 p.m., officers responded to a report of a crash on Dotchson Ave., where a vehicle had failed to remain at the scene.

Officers located the vehicle and met with the driver. Police said that grounds were formed that the driver’s ability to operate a motor vehicle was impaired by alcohol, leading to the driver’s arrest.

Karanvir Mann, 33, of Caledon, was charged with operation while impaired – blood alcohol concentration (80 plus), operation while impaired – alcohol, dangerous operation, fail to remain, fail to report damage to property on highway.

The driver’s licence was also suspended for 90 days, and the vehicle impounded for seven.

RECOMMENDED VIDEO

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Article content