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Simran Preet Panesar, a former Air Canada manager wanted for his alleged role in Canada's biggest gold heist of over USD 20 million, has been found living with his family on the outskirts of Chandigarh, according to The Indian Express.
Panesar, 32, is wanted by the Canadian authorities for his alleged role in the gold heist.
The Indian Express collaborated with Canada-based CBC News and tracked Panesar after a month-long investigation.
Also read: Canada's biggest gold heist: Two Indian-origin men among six arrested
He was found living in a rented accommodation with his family including his wife Preety Panesar, who is a former Miss India Uganda, singer, and an actor.
However, Preety is not believed to have any role in the heist.
Canada's gold heist
On April 17, 2023, an air cargo container carrying more than 22 million Canadian dollars' worth of gold bars and foreign currency was stolen from a secure storage facility using fake paperwork.
The flight landed at Pearson International Airport from Switzerland's Zurich. There were 6,600 bars of .9999 per cent pure gold, weighing 400 kgs.
Also read: Multiple arrests made in major movie-like gold heist in Canada
After landing, the cargo was offloaded from the plane and transported to another location on the airport property.
A day later, on April 18, the cargo was reported missing.
After a year-long investigation, police started searching two Indo-Canadians who worked in the warehouse from where the gold was allegedly stolen as part of a heist.
Also read: Gold heist at Canada's Toronto airport could be country's biggest robbery in years
The Indo-Canadians were identified as Brampton's Parampal Sidhu and Simran Preet Panesar.
Sidhu was arrested in May last year, but Panesar, who worked as a manager at the facility, left Canada by then. Panesar also facilitated a tour of the space to the police station.
Moreover, police arrested a total of six persons for their alleged involvement in Canada's biggest heist.
(With inputs from agencies)