Father-son duo accused of squatting in NYC storefront set it on fire hours before eviction: feds
A father-son duo from Queens, Narinder Singh, 56, and Jawahar Singh, 29, were charged by the feds for allegedly setting a storefront on fire just hours before they were supposed to be evicted. The incident took place on February 18, and the Singhs were caught on the building’s security cameras setting paper towels on a hot plate to start the fire.
Authorities learned about the footage after Jawahar Singh, who is an illegal immigrant, informed the FDNY about the video system in the Richmond Hill store. The father-son duo had been embroiled in a legal battle with their landlord, who accused them of squatting in the building and signing a fake lease for their print shop.
The situation escalated when a judge denied the Singhs’ emergency request to avoid eviction on February 17. That night, they were seen on video moving a table with a hot plate and paper towels to a section of the store, where a fire broke out hours later, destroying the entire space.
Jawahar Singh, who is an Indian national, entered the US on a tourist visa in 2018, overstayed the visa, and was arrested in 2019. Despite a removal order, he has remained in the country and is currently fighting to stay due to his marriage to a US citizen. His attorney argued in court that Singh is not a flight risk and is determined to remain in the country.
During his arraignment, Jawahar appeared frail and was ordered to be held on a $100,000 bond. His father, Narinder Singh, is scheduled to be arraigned the following day. The case highlights the complex legal and immigration issues faced by the Singhs, as they navigate the consequences of their actions.
