Rajvinder Kaur Gill
Rajvinder Kaur Gill | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1971 |
| Died | 2012 |
| Occupation | Banking professional |
| Known for | Disappearance in Pakistan in 2012 |
Rajvinder Kaur Gill (1971–2012) was a Canadian banking professional who vanished during a visit to Pakistan in August 2012. Her disappearance gained widespread media coverage amid claims that she was drugged and strangled linked to a financial disagreement. Following her vanishing, her father, Sikander Singh Gill, actively urged Pakistani officials to conduct a comprehensive investigation. Reports revealed she had traveled to Lahore to meet an individual she had connected with online, sparking concerns about possible deception. Despite ongoing efforts, her remains were never located, and the mystery surrounding her case persists.
Biography
Pakistani media sources describe Gill as a follower of the Sikh religion. Her family confirmed she immigrated to Canada. Gill was employed by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce until 2006 before relocating to Switzerland, where she held roles at merchant banks such as Merrill Lynch, UBS, and EFG Bank. It is reported that she resigned shortly prior to making her last trip.
Travel to Pakistan
Gill obtained a Pakistani visa in Dubai on August 12, 2012, and arrived in Lahore on August 25, 2012. Several hypotheses exist regarding her purpose for traveling, including resolving an outstanding debt, attending a conference, meeting a romantic partner, or purchasing valuable gemstones. Her sister mentioned that Gill was active on the dating platform Shaadi.com, and that the primary reason for the journey was to meet one or more romantic interests online. According to the Pakistani newspaper The Nation, Gill possessed over $5 million USD at the time she went missing.
Disappearance
Upon reaching Pakistan, Gill’s family received text messages from her on August 26 and 27; cell phone records indicated her final message was sent to a Pakistani television personality she had met through an online dating site. Contrarily, a suspect’s confession detailed picking Gill up directly from Lahore airport and transporting her to the location of the murder on August 25.
The Tribune India reported that Gill was last seen on August 31 after staying at three different hotels and interacting with unidentified individuals.
Murder investigation
Gill’s relatives informed Canadian authorities, who collaborated with their Pakistani counterparts. Her father traveled to Pakistan personally to oversee a diligent investigation. As per the Express Tribune, Assistant Advocate General Arib Yaqoob stated on December 6, 2012, that Gill had not been officially classified as "missing."
On November 17, 2012, Tribune India highlighted that Pakistan launched an inquiry following Sikandar Singh’s appeal for assistance from Indian Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, a distant family relation. By November 29, police acknowledged that the possibility of Gill being detained by intelligence agencies could not be excluded.
Two main suspects were identified: Hafiz Shahzad Hussain and Shahid Ghazanfar.
Hafiz Shahzad Hussain
Hafiz was detained by Pakistan’s Intelligence Bureau and reportedly admitted involvement in the murder. He claimed his cousin Shahid owed money to Gill and offered payment in exchange for assistance in killing her. Hafiz confessed that they deceived Gill into taking a car ride to view gemstones, during which Shahid drugged and strangled her. He also admitted aiding in disposing of her body in a rural canal. At the time of arrest, Hafiz was found in possession of Gill’s laptop.
In 2017, due to lack of sufficient evidence, a Pakistani court acquitted Hafiz Shahzad of charges related to Gill’s murder.
Shahid Ghazanfar
Ghazanfar, who acquired German citizenship through naturalization, is said to have escaped to Germany. On January 7, 2013, the Lahore High Court ordered Pakistani authorities to seek assistance from Interpol for his apprehension and instructed Canadian and Swiss officials to freeze Gill's financial accounts. Ghazanfar operated under the pseudonym Karishna Roy.
By March 2013, Ghazanfar was held by German law enforcement. His trial commenced on November 6, 2024, at the Cologne Regional Court, where he faces murder allegations which he contests. In 2017, it was reported that he was also undergoing legal proceedings in Canada.