A 'Brampton man' accused in a violent kidnapping case has been released on bail under strict supervision following a special hearing in Barrie.Baltej Sandhu, 30, is one of five men charged in connection with an alleged kidnapping and torture incident that took place in Orillia on September 27. Sandhu was granted bail Wednesday after he and four sureties posted a total of $250,000 in pledges.Under the terms of his release, Sandhu will remain under house arrest, be required to wear a GPS ankle monitor, and must be supervised by family members at all times..The decision came one day before another accused, Manraj Mann, 31, was denied bail despite supporters offering $200,000 in sureties. Three other co-accused — Surjit Bains, 63, of Woodbridge; Gergy Anthony Gorbun, 51, of Toronto; and Dwayne Pennant, 41, of Brampton — remain in custody.Police allege the group kidnapped a Mississauga man, who was later found beaten and bound inside an abandoned gas station on Colborne St. East in Orillia. Officers had responded to reports of suspicious activity involving a U-Haul van parked at the site shortly after 9 p.m.The victim, whose name is protected by a publication ban, was taken to Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital with serious injuries..All five men face multiple charges including kidnapping, forcible confinement, break and enter, and attempted murder, along with weapons-related offences.According to court records obtained by CTV News, Gorbun has a prior criminal record that includes violent offences and break and enters.A publication ban prevents details from the bail hearings from being reported. The allegations against the accused have not been proven in court.Sandhu is expected to appear in a virtual Orillia courtroom early in the New Year while the remaining accused return to court via video later this month.
