Kamaljeet Singh Josan was charged with two counts of arson in Vancouver Provincial Court today related to a massive explosion at a Taco del Mar restaurant on West Broadway in February.
Josan is a resident of Surrey and has been identified by police as a friend of the restaurant owners' family.
In court this morning, 31-year-old Josan was charged and is to be released after posting a $20,000 surety, and his passport has been confiscated. His next court appearance is April 22.
The explosion occurred in the 600 block of West Broadway in the early morning hours of February 13th, and caused $2 million worth of damage to the restaurant, as well as a nearby Starbucks Coffee Shop, clothing store and dollar store.
Const. Tim Fanning of the VPD said arson investigators have not been able to interview Josan because he is not medically fit to withstand several hours of interviews.
Josan allegedly used two taxi cabs to escape the scene of the crime, but suffered burns to 40 per cent of his body and later checked himself into hospital. Police tracked him down shortly afterward.
Fanning said Josan was charged after he was released from hospital.
The co-owner of the restaurant, Manjeet Nandha, was found dead several days after the arson attack in the Squamish area of Furry Creek.
Her husband, Harjit Nandha, has denied allegations that the suspect is related to the family.
Police say the fire was started with an accelerant, causing an air fuel explosion and sent glass and crushed metal across the street. The blast was felt as far away as a sixth-floor hotel room down the block.
