Ontario Review Board
Re: Anil Sharma
ORB File No. 7576
Hearing Date: Thursday, May 8, 2025
Hearing Location: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto
Pursuant to: Section 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code;
Before:
Alternate Chairperson: Ms. L. Banks
Members: Dr. T. Verny Dr. G. Nexhipi Mr. W. Apted Mr. K. McKenna
Parties Appearing:
Accused: Anil Sharma Amicus: Mr. D. Garrick
The Person in charge of Hospital: Counsel: Mr. K. Dow
Attorney General of Ontario: Counsel: Ms. M. Feindel
REASONS FOR DISPOSITION
(Dated June 19, 2025)
Introduction
Mr. Sharma was found not criminally responsible on July 5, 2019 for the criminal code offence of aggravated assault.
He is currently subject to a detention order under a Disposition dated June 13, 2024, with privileges that extend to living in the community in accommodation approved by the person in charge.
A panel of the Ontario Review Board (the panel) convened this annual hearing on May 8, 2025, at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), to review the current Disposition pursuant to s. 672.81(1) of the Criminal Code of Canada. Mr. Sharma did not attend the hearing.
Mr. Garrick attended the hearing as Amicus Curiae. He informed the panel that Mr. Sharma had not attended his hearings in the past, Mr. Sharma was aware of the proceedings and the Hospital’s recommendations, and was content with the recommendations and that the hearing proceed in his absence. An order was made under s. 672.5(10) of the Criminal Code permitting Mr. Sharma’s absence.
At the commencement of the hearing, the Hospital recommended that there be no changes to the current Disposition. Both Crown Counsel and Mr. Garrick, supported the Hospital’s recommendation.
After considering the evidence, the panel concluded that a continuation of the current detention order with the same terms and conditions was necessary and appropriate.
Index Offence
A synopsis of the facts pertaining to the index offence is taken from last year’s Reasons for Disposition and is as follows.
Mr. Sharma had a history of mental health issues with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and had been receiving care from a psychiatrist Dr. Lalani since 1994. According to Mr. Sharma, he stopped taking his medications six weeks prior to the incident. According to his family, he was paranoid concerning Sikhs, saying that he thought that they were making fun of him and that his wife was “with them”. He would listen to a Sikh radio program and think they were talking about him. While he worked in the taxi industry, he believed the Sikh community conspired with the taxi dispatchers to prevent him from making money and forcing him out of the industry. He also believed that Sikh taxi employees had attempted to poison him at one point. His family members stated that his paranoid delusions had been increasing over the few weeks leading up to the offence.
On October 17, 2017, Mr. Sharma left his home in the afternoon by car. As he was driving by Sheridan College, he saw a pedestrian walking northbound on the sidewalk of McLaughlin Road. The pedestrian was the victim, Pushpinder Singh, a 23-year old Sikh man. Mr. Sharma then deliberately drove his car over the curb, mounting the sidewalk, and struck the victim and a concrete light standard. It is estimated the vehicle was travelling 64 km/hr when it left the roadway. The impact sent the victim flying into the air and witnesses described hearing a pop and seeing the victim twisted in the air before hitting the ground. When he landed, he was unconscious but breathing. The force of the impact was so great that it caused him to lose control of his bowels and his pants and shoes had flown off. The victim also had a laceration to his abdomen and several other obvious injuries.
Several witnesses nearby ran over and called 911. They observed Mr. Sharma exiting his car and looking at the victim. He spoke to one of the witnesses, Mr. Bhatti, and told Mr. Bhatti that “he was on the road”. EMS arrived and the victim was transported to Sunnybrook Hospital with serious life-threatening injuries. Mr. Sharma was transported to Brampton Civic Hospital as a precaution and medically cleared. He spoke to the police and provided a history of incidents involving the Sikh community and admitted to intentionally driving at the pedestrian because he believed he was a member of the Sikh community.
Mr. Sharma was arrested for dangerous operation cause bodily harm and taken to 22 Division, where he provided an inculpatory statement. In the statement, he admitted to purposely driving off the roadway to strike the victim because he was wearing a turban and he believed him to be a Sikh. Mr. Sharma spoke of being “so mad at Sikh people”. He saw the victim and deliberately hit him because he was angry at what Sikh people had done to him. For example, he spoke of how Sikhs had tried to poison him and were trying to kill him. He claimed he did not want to kill the victim but did admit to wanting to injure him. He acknowledged it was his fault, but also that he was very angry at Sikhs.
As a result of the incident, the victim suffered numerous injuries, including splenic laceration; left kidney lacerations; multiple fractures (neck, knees, 10th rib); damaged ligaments in both legs; multiple brain lesions consistent with diffuse axonal injury; artery damage; and blood clots. The victim was admitted to hospital on October 17 and discharged to rehabilitation on November 30, 2017. While in hospital, he underwent various tests, examinations, and therapies. He was placed on multiple medications and suffered pneumonia. The long-term consequences of his injuries are unknown.
Hospital Report dated April 28, 2025
The evidence at this hearing consisted of the Hospital Report dated April 28, 2025, and the testimony of Dr. B. Chan, a resident working with Dr. Choptiany.
Mr. Sharma is a 65-year-old gentleman who was born in India. In 1977 he and his mother immigrated to Canada to join his brother who had come to Canada earlier. Mr. Sharma’s father remained in India and died in 2018. Mr. Sharma’s mother has since passed away.
Mr. Sharma married a woman in India and they both returned to Canada. At the time of the index offence Mr. Sharma was a taxi driver. He has no prior criminal record and no history of drug abuse. Mr. Sharm had regularly consumed alcohol but discontinued drinking after the index offence.
In 1987 Mr. Sharma began seeing a psychiatrist, Dr. Lalani, who treated him in the community for Schizophrenia and Panic Disorder. At the time of the index offence, Dr. Lalani had prescribed Stelazine to be taken orally, but Mr. Sharma had stopped taking his medication several weeks prior to the index offence.
Mr. Sharma is diagnosed with:
Schizophrenia;
Panic Disorder;
Rule out Alcohol Use Disorder (in remission).
Mr. Sharma is also diagnosed with insulin dependent diabetes with neuropathy, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity, and chronic headaches.
Mr. Sharma developed a belief that a radio host had a relationship with his wife, and the radio host was turning Sikh taxi drivers against him. This belief began approximately 10 years before the index offence. This delusion caused Mr. Sharma to fear that he would be killed by the radio host and other taxi drivers. This paranoid ideation had become acute at the time of the index offence and resulted in Mr. Sharma driving at the victim.
Mr. Sharma has been residing with his wife, Meena Sharma, and his son, Dave Sharma, since the index offence. He is unemployed and financially supported with ODSP.
The Hospital Report indicates that there were no incidents of violence or substance use this past year. Mr. Sharma was not hospitalized, and met with his case worker every 2 weeks, and either Dr. Choptiany or Dr. Chan monthly.
Mr. Sharma spent his time going for walks, cooking, cleaning, and watching sports on television. He did not participate in any structured programming.
He is currently prescribed, Haloperidol, IM monthly, Pregabalin, and Clonazepam. In April 2025, the Haloperidol, a long-acting antipsychotic medication, was increased to 150 mg monthly to address his ongoing residual psychotic symptoms. Throughout the year, Mr. Sharma has remained adherent to his medication.
Mr. Sharma has consistently over the years, and continues, to have residual paranoia towards the Sikh community. However, his preoccupation or fixation on the delusions, have lessened with medication. Mr. Sharma’s insight into his illness is described as limited. He recognizes that he has schizophrenia, but does not appreciate the psychotic symptoms associated with this illness.
Attempts were made to reduce the dosage of clonazepam at the start of the reporting year, but resulted in heightened anxiety and somatic symptoms. He returned to the original dose.
In March 2025, a risk assessment was conducted, and provided an analysis of factors relevant to potential future violent behaviour. The assessment referred to Mr. Sharma’s major mental disorder and his history of non-compliance with treatment. His limited insight into his illness and need for treatment is also viewed as a risk factor concerning treatment compliance. Mr. Sharma continues to experience paranoid beliefs toward the Sikh community. Mr. Sharma has also experienced a cognitive decline which may be progressive, and could affect his mental stability.
The assessment concludes that Mr. Sharma needs to be followed closely by the forensic outpatient team to monitor his treatment compliance and mental stability, and to regularly assess his cognitive decline, to properly manage his risk to public safety.
Testimony of Dr. Chan
Dr. Chan testified at this hearing and advised that Mr. Sharma’s condition has not changed over the past year. Mr. Sharma continues to experience psychosis and paranoia particularly with respect to the Sikh community. The symptoms are less pronounced than when Mr. Sharma is untreated. Dr. Chan indicated that Mr. Sharma can be impulsive and disinhibited in his behaviour.
Dr. Chan referred to the recent change in medication, increasing the dosage of long-acting haloperidol to 150 mg monthly from 100 mg. to better manage his psychotic symptoms. Despite the increase in his medication dose, he continues to experience residual psychotic symptoms, including delusional beliefs and paranoia. However, he is less fixated and perseverative on these beliefs.
Dr. Chan testified that Mr. Sharma has a partial understanding of his condition worsening if he does not take his medication, but does not appreciate the symptoms that would develop. The doctor stated that Mr. Sharma is unable to recognize his own symptoms despite the fact that he knows he suffers from schizophrenia. Dr. Chan further testified that the psychotic symptoms present at the time of the index offence are still present, and Mr. Sharma remains a significant threat to the safety of the public. In the doctor’s opinion, absent oversight of the Board, Mr. Sharma would be likely to fall away from treatment and follow-up, and would be vulnerable to a rapid relapse to heightened symptoms. The doctor noted that he is treatment capable in the box B criteria under the Mental Health Act, which would not be available to rapidly readmit him to hospital. The doctor stated that the Mental Health Act would be insufficient to safely manage his risk and a detention order remains necessary and appropriate.
Dr. Chan also referred to Mr. Sharma not having significant support in the community, and that Mr. Sharma lacks any structure to his daily routine and does not participate in any activities which puts him at greater risk of decompensation.
Dr. Chan does not believe that a conditional discharge is appropriate, and that the Mental Health Act would not allow the Hospital to quickly admit Mr. Sharma to the Hospital if it was necessary. In the past, Mr. Sharma was reluctant to return to the hospital voluntarily.
Dr. Chan agreed with the suggestion from Mr. Feindel that Mr. Sharma and his wife lead independent lives, and that Ms. Sharma does not provide much support for her husband. Dr. Chan confirmed that a risk of violent behaviour is a major concern, and that Mr. Sharma requires ongoing monitoring of his treatment compliance and mental stability.
Dr. Chan confirmed in answering a question from a panel member that the delusional beliefs regarding the Sikh community remain, and that Mr. Sharma still believes he is being followed by Sikhs.
Dr. Chan further advised that Ms. Sharma routinely tells the treatment team that everything is fine, but it is apparent that the relationship between Mr. Sharma and his wife is not very close.
Dr. Chan further advised that Mr. Sharma continues to experience anxiety which presents as a panic attack.
The panel was advised that the case worker and Mr. Sharma enjoy a strong rapport, and that Mr. Sharma is very content residing at his home.
The doctor advised that the plan going forward will be to continue his treatment and encourage him to engage in structured daily activities.
Submissions
- At the conclusion of the evidence, the Crown and Mr. Garrick simply reiterated their support for the Hospital’s recommendations.
Analysis
The panel agrees with the joint submission. Mr. Sharma remains a significant threat to the safety of the public, and a continuation of the current Disposition is necessary and appropriate without changes to the terms and conditions.
He is diagnosed with a major mental disorder, and continues to experience paranoia and delusional beliefs, particularly towards the Sikh community. It was these symptoms of his illness which resulted in very violent and near fatal index offence.
The evidence indicates that Mr. Sharma, in addition to the schizophrenia, has experienced a cognitive decline which may negatively affect his mental stability.
His insight is limited to being aware of his diagnosis. He is unable to relate the symptoms of his illness to the index offence and possible future violent behaviour. This lack of insight could also result in Mr. Sharma discontinuing his medication and engagement with medical professionals, which would further exacerbate his psychotic symptoms and increase the risk to public safety.
Mr. Sharma resides with his wife and son. The Hospital Report indicates that Mr. Sharma and his wife do not appear to have a close relationship, and Ms. Sharma does not appear to offer much support for her husband. It is unlikely that Ms. Sharma would report any changes in Mr. Sharma’s condition to the Hospital.
It is important that Mr. Sharma continue to be followed by the Forensic Outpatient Program to ensure medication compliance, and to be alerted to any decline in his mental stability or behaviour. If this were to occur, the Hospital requires the ability to readmit Mr. Sharma to the Hospital rapidly to properly manage his risk to public safety.
In coming to this conclusion, the panel has applied the principles provided in s. 672.5401 of the Criminal Code.
DATED this 19th day of June, 2025, at the City of Toronto, in the Toronto Region.
Mr. K. McKenna
Legal Member
Office of the Registrar
Ontario Review Board