Mother of man accused in 2017 killing of Kiran Dhesi also charged

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The mother of the man accused of murdering 19-year-old Kiran Dhesi in Surrey in August of 2017 has also been charged.

Manjit Kaur Deo, 53, is now facing a charge of accessory after the fact to murder. Her next court appearance is May 23.

This comes just more than a week after her 21-year-old son Harjot Singh Deo — who was Dhesi’s ex-boyfriend — was charged with 2nd-degree murder in connection with the homicide.

Cpl. Frank Jang confirms the new suspect, 53-year-old Manjit Deo, is the mother of 21-year-old Harjot Deo, who is charged with second degree murder in the #Dhesi case @NEWS1130 pic.twitter.com/nFHrPVxdpk

— Kurtis Doering (@KDnewsguy) May 21, 2019

The body of the Surrey student was found inside a burned out SUV along 24th Avenue near 188 Street in August, 2017. She was last seen leaving her family’s home the night before.

Harjot Singh Deo made his first court appearance on May 11 in connection Dhesi’s death. Homicide Investigators say Deo was arrested at Vancouver International Airport a day earlier, while he was returning from a trip.

Deo and Dhesi were dating at the time of the teen’s death, homicide investigators say. His case has now been put over to May 27.

Dhesi had received a successful kidney transplant six months before her death.

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Police are appealing for anyone with information about her killing to come forward.

“The homicide investigation is still not over,” said Cpl. Frank Jang. “Our investigators continue to actively pursue leads in the case. We are still appealing to those with close knowledge of the circumstances surrounding her death.”

Jang stresses that this investigation is not over, and appeals many times for those with information about the Dhesi murder to come forward. Manjit Deo is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday @NEWS1130 pic.twitter.com/oZbVbk3y2L

— Kurtis Doering (@KDnewsguy) May 21, 2019

It’s heartbreaking but not surprising

Barinder Rasode, the co-founder of the Surrey-based She Talks advocacy group, says the situation is ‘heartbreaking’ but notes she’s not surprised the mother of the man accused of killing Dhesi may have been involved.

“A lot of the patriarchy and the issues around inequality for women start in the home and it does start with the parents,” she adds. “How do you attempt to cover that up when another family has lost their child?”

Rasode acknowledges this isn’t just about the South Asian community, noting many women’s inequality issues start in the home with parents; but she says there’s no denying many victims of domestic violence in the Lower Mainland over the last decade have been part of that culture.

.@BarinderRasode tells @NEWS1130 she's not surprised to hear a mom may have helped cover up murder son's accused of committing: "Not that this violence is specific to South Asian women, but… it certainly feels like a disproportionate, larger number than in other communities." https://t.co/n2FMNovpTe

— Marcella Bernardo (@MBernardoNews) May 21, 2019

-With files from Kurtis Doering and Marcella Bernardo