Naindeep (Deep) Singh, Central Unified School District trustee and executive director of The Jakara Movement, stands in front of a mural commissioned in his honor at Jaswant Singh Khalra Park on May 13, 2022.
Danielle Bergstrom
Fresnoland
Fresno City Council candidate Naindeep Singh contested allegations against him on a Punjab radio program regarding his arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs in the Tower District on Saturday night.
In an exclusive interview with Punjabi Radio USA, a prominent Punjabi-language station in California, Singh denied the allegations and said he was cited and released, over the course of several hours on Saturday night and Sunday morning.
Singh was arrested Saturday according to Fresno police on suspicion of driving under the influence of a drug, an accusation disputed by Singh’s supporters.
Fresno police declined to discuss the case, The Bee reported on Monday.
Singh said the incident occurred on Saturday at 11 p.m. “I went to my parents’ house in Madera, then I came to the Tower District for tacos,” said Singh, his dialogue translated by a Fresno Bee reporter who listened to a playback of the program.
According to Singh, an officer on a motorcycle flashed lights, prompting him to pull over. The stop was initiated due to expired registration tags. “I had paid money for the new registration tags from two months ago, and I am still waiting for the new stickers.”
According to Singh, the officer was aggressive. Initially, he was questioned about alcohol consumption and also underwent field sobriety testing and passed all assessments, including Breathalyzer and finger-to-nose tests, he said.
“I wish that everything comes out in a public forum, including body camera footage,” Singh said. “Once I underwent a Breathalyzer test and passed it, the officer’s behavior changed. Then the officer started talking about drugs. I was nervous.”
Singh said two officers later arrived and took him to Community Regional Medical Center in downtown Fresno, where he underwent a toxicology evaluation. The episode lasted nearly two hours, he told the radio host.
Singh stated that he was never arrested, but was cited and released. “I cooperated with the police,” Singh said. “I never had drugs or alcohol. I know something suspicious occurred because the officers were making loose comments and knew who I was.”
Singh said police impounded his car, and his wife later picked him up from the hospital. He disclosed that the police officer noted signs of drug impairment in the writings, but did not specify further he said on the program.
“When I was going home with my wife, I had anxiety and suspicion,” Singh said. “I am not a normal candidate. I am speaking against developers and people in Fresno who actually run the city.”
He said he decided to obtain an independent toxicology report within a few hours at the same medical center, checking into the emergency room early Sunday morning. The results were negative for drugs. “I am speaking against corruption and SEDA,” Singh said on the program of his political campaign.
Singh acknowledged receiving a speeding ticket in the past, but called the impairment allegation a smear campaign, noting that official toxicology results take weeks to return, which would clear him only after the election is over.
“I am in high spirits and truth is on my side,” Singh said on the radio program. “I have the support of working-class district residents to end city corruption. I am walking and talking with people. My opposition has engaged in such oppression against me.”
Criticizing his opponent in the interview, Rob Fuentes, Singh termed Fuentes as a joke who had failed to appear to at least seven public forums or speak publicly in front of him.
In a statement to The Bee on Monday afternoon, Fuentes pulled back on his initial comments to the media criticizing Singh’s arrest, as well as a mass campaign text message sent out Monday morning calling on Singh to drop out of the race.
“I am waiting on the results of the official toxicology reports before passing further judgment on this incident,” Fuentes told The Bee. “I will say, though, that Naindeep still has serious questions to answer.”
Fresno Bee reporter Gagandeep Singh translated Naindeep Singh’s comments in this story from a show broadcast on Punjabi Radio USA
This story was originally published October 26, 2026 at 6:02 PM.
The Fresno Bee
Gagandeep Singh is a service journalism reporter for The Fresno Bee. He holds a master’s degree in politics and global affairs from Columbia University. Prior to working at The Bee, he worked as a freelancer for CalMatters, BBC News and the Los Angeles Times. He focuses on migration, education, criminal justice and the South Asian diaspora in California.