A social media post by a Sikh-American went viral after Indian-origin Jashanpreet Singh was charged in a deadly chain-reaction crash in California’s Ontario which killed three people, including a Pomona High School basketball coach and his wife. New Jersey’s Amerinder Khatra, a registered Republican, posted that no Sikh organization should help Jashanpreet with his legal fees.“I just want to say as a Sikh-American that this is unacceptable and has to end. He should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law — then deported. No Sikh organization should help this guy with his legal fees. Going forward — the DOT needs to audit the CDL records of every Democratic state in this nation (especially California),” Khatra posted and was accused of cozying up to the right wing.Read: Why MAGA is blaming California for Jashanpreet Singh’s crash“No one needs to defend Jashan here, but I don’t quite understand the urge to jump to make statements condemning him. IMO it seems like some who have cozied up to certain factions of the American RW are worried about how this affects the RW’s perception of Sikhs,” one posted, objecting to Khatra’s observation.
Jashanpreet pleads not guilty
Jashanpreet, who was believed to be under the influence when the accident took place, pleaded not guilty to the multiple criminal counts against him, including gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and causing bodily injury or death, and driving under the combined influence of alcohol and drugs. He was represented by a public defender with an interpreter by his side. After the hearing, Singh, an illegal migrant, remained in custody and was being held without bail.
Was Jashanpreet Singh not under the influence?
Jashanpreet Singh’s family in India claimed that he is a baptized Sikh who never takes drugs or alcohol. This also led to conspiracy theories on social media that probably he took opium and in a huge amount that he did not press his brakes before the accident as seen in the dashcam footage.
