The Laval father accused of murdering two of his children in mid-October is fit to stand trial.
This is the conclusion of a psychiatrist from the Philippe-Pinel Institute of Forensic Psychiatry which was offered Thursday to a judge of the Court of Quebec, at the Laval courthouse.
Kamaljit Arora is accused of murdering his 13-year-old daughter, Angel, and his 11-year-old son, Aaron. He also faces a charge of assaulting a woman in her 40s that was allegedly committed the same day, October 17.
The 45-year-old man was present Thursday by videoconference from the Pinel Institute. It was the first time that we could see the accused, who had been hospitalized since his arrest, which occurred the same evening when his two children were found unresponsive in the family residence.
The defendant was at times in a coma and was unable to attend court. His first appearance was repeatedly postponed.
At the beginning of November, his lawyer had requested this psychiatric expertise in order to verify whether he was fit to undergo his criminal trial. He had told the court that the defendant was in “a state of confusion” and did not even know where he was.
On Thursday, Kamaljit Arora appeared with the help of a Punjabi interpreter. Short black hair and a salt-and-pepper beard, he asked the court a few questions about the proceedings.
His lawyer demanded that the expert report on his fitness to stand his criminal trial be sealed, so that the reasons of the psychiatrist are not made public, so that he “has a full and complete defence”, pleaded Me Gabrielle Chevrefils.
The judge agreed, and also prohibited the accused from communicating with his wife and eldest daughter.
Me Karine Dalphond for the Crown objected to the release of the man. He is due back in court on February 8 for further criminal proceedings.