Indo-Canadian police officer found guilty of punching cyclist

Ottawa, Aug 9
A Canadian court has found an Indo-Canadian police officer guilty of punching a cyclist while arresting him two years ago, a media report said.

The Vancouver provincial court on Friday found Ismail Bhabha, who migrated from England some years ago after marrying a Canadian woman, guilty of the single charge of assault in September 2013 while attempting to handcuff a cyclist for breaking traffic rules, Canada-based South Asian Link Newspaper reported.

The Police Complaints Commission had ordered the West Vancouver police to investigate the officer after a YouTube video surfaced of the officer striking a man.

Bhabha said he was trying to arrest the cyclist because he blew through a red light in Yaletown and was not wearing a helmet.

Police also described the cyclist's behaviour as "confrontational" before his arrest.

Vancouver police chief Adam Palmer described Bhabha as "a good police officer", adding that "just recently, he saved somebody's life".

A police spokesperson said Bhabha would remain in his current position in patrol until the court proceedings were completed.

A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for November.