Man who helped Maple Batalia's killer given 18 month sentence

Gursimar Bedi, 27, has been given a 18-month sentence for his role in the murder of Maple Batalia, 19, in Sept. 2011.

Bedi was found guilty of being an accessory after the fact in May, 2016.

Gurjinder Dhaliwal earlier pleaded guilty to second degree murder, and was sentenced in March 2016 to life in prison — he is not eligible for parole for 21 years.

• Maple Batalia's killer, Gurjinder Dhaliwal, sentenced to life in prison
• Gursimar Bedi guilty of accessory after the fact in murder of Maple Batalia

The judge said today in his decision that Bedi, who was 21 at the time of the murder, helped Dhaliwal for three days before the attack by following Batalia and sending his observations to Dhaliwal.

He rented a car, and was a passenger in it when Dhaliwal shot and struck Batalia in a parking lot at the Simon Fraser University campus in Surrey.

The judge said Bedi continued to help Dhaliwal after the attack even though he had direct knowledge of the murder.

He let Dahliwal hold on to the rented Dodge Charger and initiated several text message exchanges, in which he provided Dhaliwal with information about the police investigation.

Bedi was given 22 months in jail, minus four months for time already served.

'We are left with nothing'

Batalia's mother, Sarbjit Batalia, fought back tears as she spoke briefly to reporters outside the courthouse on Friday.

"We are not happy from this," she said. "We have to change the justice system."

Batalia's father, Harkirat Batalia, wouldn't say what he thought an appropriate sentence would have been, but he was also unimpressed with the judge's decision.

"We're going to appeal for it," he said. "We are not happy with the justice that has come out. I think there should be better justice for these kinds of people."

"We are left with nothing. We lost our angel and she's not going to come back," said Harkirat Batalia.

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