The trial of Indian-origin Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel (29) and his alleged accomplice Steve Chad (50) in the tragic deaths of four members of a Gujarati family near the US-Canada border while trying to enter the US nearly three years ago has begun in a Fergus Falls, Minnesota court. The two have been charged with running a human trafficking network. The tragic incident came to light on January 19, 2022, when Canadian authorities recovered the frozen bodies of Jagdish Patel (39), his wife Vaishaliben (37), their daughter Vishangi (11) and son Dharmik (3) near Emerson, Manitoba. The family’s journey ended tragically due to hypothermia in sub-zero temperatures just yards from the US border. According to the prosecution, Indian national Harshkumar Patel ran a human trafficking business in India.
He arranged visas for students to Canada and later admitted them to the US, while Florida resident Steve Chad worked as a transporter and charged $25,000 for five trips across the border in the snowy region. The trial in the case has begun in the court of US District Judge John Tunheim, which will be continuous and is expected to conclude soon. Patel, who was arrested in Chicago earlier this year, has been charged with conspiracy and illegally bringing immigrants into the US. His lawyer, Thomas Leinenweber, has declared Patel innocent, saying he has faith in the justice system and the truth will come out during the trial. Chad was arrested on the day the Patel family’s bodies were found while he was transporting two undocumented migrants in a van near the border.
