UPDATE: 10:15 a.m.
A former Vernon man charged with the 1986 murder of his wife will remain in custody.
After reviewing the information, which is under a publication ban, Justice Frank Cole granted the detention order for Paramjit Singh Bogarh, 57, in Supreme Court in Vernon June 29.
Bogarh will appear in Vernon Law Courts Aug. 2 to consult counsel.
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ORIGINAL: 6 a.m.
A former Vernon man charged with the murder of his wife in 1986 will discover whether or not bail is granted today.
Paramjit Singh Bogarh, 57, will appear in Supreme Court in Vernon at 9 a.m. when Justice Frank Cole is expected to reach his decision. Defence Russ Chamberlain and crown prosecutor Ann Katrine Saettler presented their submissions to the courts June 19. Due to a court-ordered publication ban, details arising from the bail hearing cannot be released.
Related: Bail decision not yet reached for Vernon murder suspect
Bogarh is charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of conspiring to commit murder relating to the New Year’s Eve 1986 death of his spouse, Saminder Kaur Bogarh. Narindar Singh Bogarh, Paramjit’s brother, is also charged with the same counts and the BC Prosecution Service is pursuing his extradition. According to defence Russ Chamberlain, Narindar is in India.
Paramjit appeared in the provincial courtroom via video briefly Thursday, June 28 to consult counsel. That appearance was adjourned to Aug. 2 pending Justice Cole’s bail decision.
Related: Vernon murder suspect appearance adjourned, awaiting bail decision
“This is a very old case and the evidence against him is very scant,” Chamberlain told The Morning Star in a May 2018 interview. “Based on the intel I received from the Crown, it’s a weak case and the accused professes his innocence.”
Chamberlain also represented both men in 1987 when arrests were first made.
According to a Jan. 3, 1987 article in the Vernon Daily News, Murder charges stayed, a then 25-year-old Paramjit was charged with second-degree murder on New Year’s Day and was scheduled to appear in court Jan. 2 in relation to his wife’s murder.
However, instead of appearing in court Paramjit, who was a janitor, was released that afternoon when the Crown entered a stay-of-proceedings.
“RCMP Staff-Sgt. Jim Wilson told the Daily News there wasn’t the evidence to support the second-degree murder charge,” the article reads.
At the time of the incident, RCMP said the woman suffered several stab wounds and was found in the bathroom of their home in south Vernon. There were three people in the house at that time: Saminder Kaur Bogarh, Paramjit Singh Bogarh and a two-and-a-half-year-old boy who was later taken into the care of the Human Resources Ministry.
Dr. Bill Currie, a forensic pathologist assigned to the case, confirmed that the victim suffered stab wounds to the neck, hands, arms and legs.
Only two articles regarding the incident appeared in the Daily News in January 1987 — Stabbing death investigated Jan. 2 and Murder charges stayed Jan. 3.
None of the charges against either man has been proven in court.
Paramjit remains remanded in custody.
Related: First-degree murder charges laid in Vernon cold case
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parker.crook@vernonmorningstar.com
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