January 12, 1999

TWO BROTHERS CHARGED IN MURDER FOR HIRE PLOT  TO KILL ONE BROTHER'S WIFE

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today the arrest of two brothers on charges of hiring an undercover detective posing as a hitman to kill the 39 year old wife of one of the brothers.

According to District Attorney Brown "The murder for hire plot arose out of a longstanding domestic dispute between the would-be target and the defendants." He added, "Domestic disputes can never be allowed to be resolved by violence. The defendants will be prosecuted vigorously for this cold-hearted plot."

District Attorney Brown identified the defendants as Arvinder Sandhar, 30 of 89-35 217th Street, Queens Village and Sukhjinder Sandher, 40, 220-20 Davenport Avenue, Queens Village. They are accused of conspiring to kill the wife of Sukhjinder Sandher. They have been charged with conspiracy in the second degree and criminal solicitation and face up to 25 years in prison if convicted of the conspiracy charge.

According to District Attorney Brown, detectives assigned to the Queens District Attorney's Office Squad learned that the defendant Arvinder Sandhar was seeking to have his sister-in-law killed. An undercover officer posing as a hitman made contact with the defendants who agreed to pay him $7,000 to execute Sukjhinder Sandher's wife. On January 6th, it is alleged, the undercover detective met with the defendant Arvinder Sandhar in a parking lot off Hillside Avenue, details of the agreement were discussed and it was agreed that the two would meet again on the following day, January 7th, at the same location. At that time, Arvinder Sandhar allegedly gave the undercover detective a downpayment of $500 and a picture of the intended victim along with details of her whereabouts at various times.

The defendant Sukhjinder Sandher, a car service chauffeur, was arrested early this morning as he was on his way to work by Detectives Jack Maniscalco and Terrence Quinn and Sgt. Frank Russo of the New York City Police Department's Queens District Attorney's Office Squad which is under the command of Captain Harold J. Knorr. The defendant Arvinder Sandhar was also arrested this morning in front of his home.

Assistant District Attorney John A. Scarpa of District Attorney Brown's Economic Crimes Bureau which is under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Michael J. Mansfield and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney Robert D. Alexander is in charge of the case.

It is to be noted that an arrest is merely an accusation and that a defendant is innocent until proven guilty.