Former councillor accused of sex assault plans to run again in Brampton, says allegations withdrawn

Former Brampton City Councillor Gurpreet Singh Dhillon says he plans to run again in this year’s municipal election now that accusations of sexual assault against him have been withdrawn.

But the two-time Brampton councillor is calling on the city to take down an integrity commissioner’s report that supports the allegations he has always said were false and now says have been walked back.

“This is what we are saying, they should remove the report. It’s being done for political reasons,” he said in an interview with Virasat Media Canada.

Dhillon was the only incumbent member of Brampton council not reelected in the 2024 municipal election following allegations of sexual misconduct and harassment of a female staffer while on a City of Brampton trade mission to Turkey in 2019.

He says the allegations have since been withdrawn, and has told media outlets the accuser was pressured and coerced into making the complaint.

“In October 2026, hopefully people will reelect me (and give me) the same trust they put in me for eight years,” he said in the interview.

The city’s election website did not show Dhillon registered as a candidate as of Friday afternoon. The municipal election is on Oct. 26, and the deadline for candidates is Aug. 21.

Dhillon ran for reelection despite other members of council unanimously calling for him to resign following a report from the City’s integrity commissioner which stated the alleged victim said “no” 74 times during the alleged harassment.

He lost that race for Wards 9 and 10 to current Coun. Gurpartap Singh Toor, who has not confirmed to INsauga.com if he plans to seek reelection.

The city and Brampton’s integrity commissioner Muneeza Sheikh have also not responded to multiple requests about its integrity commissioner guidelines around reports and withdrawn allegations.

Dhillon said the city keeping the report online is part of “a pattern of corruption,” adding that the allegations have been damaging to his reputation.

He has steadfastly denied the allegations against him, which were reported to Peel Regional Police. All information provided by the complainant was passed on to the Turkish police because the incident happened outside local jurisdiction, and no charges were laid.

In 2022, city council passed a motion in August limiting the city’s ability to use taxpayer funds to settle lawsuits and legal matters dealing with allegations of sexual misconduct.

Those changes were spearheaded by Mayor Patrick Brown after a whistleblower made allegations that Dhillon settled a $60,000 sexual assault settlement using city funds, calling the payments “hush money.” Dhillon said he was planning legal action against Brown, and issued a statement calling the claims “politically motivated.”

Multiple requests for comment from Dhillon were not immediately returned.

The former councillor was the target of protests following the sexual assault and harassment allegations. Donning pink clothing and wearing inflatable pig costumes, a group called 74 NOS held multiple events in what they said is a campaign to raise awareness of the accusations made against Dhillon.