Brampton Realtor Pleads Guilty in Child Abduction Case in Northern Ontario

Thessalon, ON – A 37-year-old real estate agent from Brampton has pleaded guilty to abducting a child in a case stemming from an incident last summer in the Town of Thessalon.

Manoj Govind Balunikam entered his guilty plea on Wednesday to one count of abducting a person under the age of 14 by taking or enticing. The plea was made during proceedings at the Superior Court of Justice in Sault Ste. Marie, where Balunikam appeared virtually from southern Ontario. He was represented in court by lawyer Jessica Belisle.

The charge relates to an incident on August 15, 2023, when Balunikam lured a nine-year-old boy into his vehicle.

The case will now proceed to the sentencing phase, where both the Crown and defence are expected to present their submissions for the judge’s consideration.