SAD Leader Parambans Singh ‘Bunty’ Romana Denied Entry Into Canada

CHANDIGARH/TORONTO — Parambans Singh “Bunty” Romana, a senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and the party’s national spokesperson, was denied entry into Canada upon his arrival at Toronto Pearson International Airport on Thursday, June 11, 2026. Following the decision by Canadian border authorities, the politician was sent back to India on the same flight.

Romana, who serves as the party’s constituency in-charge for Faridkot, had arrived in Canada a day ahead of a scheduled SAD delegation. The team was slated to conduct an NRI outreach program across several Canadian provinces from June 13 to June 29 to build support for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.

Reasons for Denial

While no official statement has been released by Canadian immigration authorities, sources indicate that entry was blocked primarily due to pending legal matters in India.

Lack of Police Clearance: According to Kanwarjit Singh “Rozy” Barkandi, a former MLA from Muktsar who has been in contact with Romana’s family, one of the key objections raised by officials was the absence of a required “police clearance” regarding ongoing criminal cases against the leader.
Political Activity Concerns: Reports suggest that Canadian authorities viewed the planned visit as political in nature. It was alleged that border officials presented Romana with videos of his past press conferences, which were critical of the Punjab government, to suggest the visit was intended for political campaigning—an activity that may conflict with Canadian entry regulations for non-diplomatic visitors.

Political Tensions and Allegations

The incident has triggered a sharp war of words between the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab.

SAD leaders have alleged that the denial was the result of a “politically motivated complaint” lodged by the AAP government to harass opposition figures. “He was shown videos of press conferences he had held against the government,” Barkandi claimed, asserting that the opposition was being targeted internationally.

In response, AAP spokesperson Neel Garg dismissed the allegations as entirely “baseless.”

“If he has been denied entry in Canada, it is a matter between the external affairs ministries of the two countries,” Garg stated. “The Punjab government has nothing to do with this decision.”

Background

Parambans Singh Bunty Romana has previously faced legal challenges in Punjab. In October 2023, he was arrested by the Mohali police in connection with a case involving a “morphed” video of a Punjabi singer used to target high-ranking officials. While he later secured bail, the persistence of legal proceedings related to his past activities appears to have played a decisive role in the scrutiny he faced at the Toronto airport.