Fresno Police Chief Mindy Casto on Tuesday defended the arrest of Fresno City Council candidate Naindeep Singh on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs, saying a veteran officer and drug recognition expert observed signs of impairment and Singh failed six of eight indicators during field sobriety testing.

While Casto said Singh had not been observed driving erratically or otherwise driving in an impaired manner, and a preliminary breath test showed no alcohol in his system, she said her review found the officer had followed proper procedure and had probable cause to make the arrest. However, he was driving a vehicle with expired registration tags.

The chief said the officer, whom she did not name, did not know Singh was a candidate for Fresno City Council until after the arrest, when another officer recognized him.

Asked whether the arrest could have been politically motivated, Casto called the suggestion “absolutely absurd.”

She said the department has asked that Singh’s blood toxicology testing be expedited and pledged to personally apologize if the results come back negative.

“If his blood test comes back negative, I will be the first to apologize,” Casto said, adding that the case would be dropped and Singh would be reimbursed for costs associated with the arrest.

At the same time, Casto defended the officer’s decision based on the information available at the scene.

When asked by GV Wire whether it was normal procedure to request bloodwork for someone not pulled over for unsafe driving and who did not fail a breathalyzer test, Casto said the decision rests with the officer’s discretion.

“We will never apologize for our efforts to prevent DUI injuries and deaths on our roadways,” Casto said.

Singh did not respond to GV Wire’s request for comment before publication of this story.

Singh Shows No Alcohol but Fails Six Indicators

The traffic stop began about 11:54 p.m. Saturday after a Fresno police traffic officer saw Singh’s vehicle in the Tower District displaying expired registration tags, according to Casto.

Police said the displayed tags were expired as of 2020. The officer checked the plates through dispatch and the California Department of Motor Vehicles system, which showed the registration had expired in August 2026.

Singh said during a news conference Monday that he had paid his registration. Casto said Tuesday that records showed some fees had been paid but that the registration was not fully brought up to date until Monday, after his arrest and before he retrieved the vehicle from impound.

Casto acknowledged it was possible that the registration tags could have been stolen from the rear plate.

The officer stopped Singh on Fulton Street south of Olive Avenue. Singh provided a valid California driver’s license and, while the officer waited for proof of insurance, was asked whether he had consumed alcohol or drugs.

Singh said he had not.

According to Casto, Singh agreed to allow the officer to examine his eyes for signs of impairment.

The officer, a 10-year Fresno police veteran and certified drug recognition expert, reported seeing horizontal gaze nystagmus in both of Singh’s eyes. Casto described nystagmus as an indicator that can be associated with alcohol or drug impairment.

The officer then asked Singh to step out of the vehicle for additional field sobriety testing. Singh agreed.

Fresno Chief Says Singh Was Extremely Polite, Respectful

Police said Singh was extremely polite, respectful, and cooperative throughout the encounter, and Casto said the officer acted the same way.

Before conducting the tests, the officer determined Singh was not sick or injured, Casto said.

Singh then showed six of eight indicators officers were evaluating, including during a walk-and-turn test, finger-to-nose test and a Romberg test used to evaluate a person’s ability to estimate time. Police also said Singh’s pulse reached as high as 128 beats per minute.

The testing was recorded on police body-worn camera, Casto said.

Singh then agreed to take a preliminary alcohol screening test. It showed no alcohol.

Despite that result, Casto said the officer believed drugs could still be a factor based on the field sobriety testing, the officer’s observations of Singh’s eyes, and the totality of the circumstances.

Asked whether the arrest was based simply on the officer’s opinion, Casto said it was an expert opinion formed by a trained drug recognition expert and supported by probable cause.

She said probable cause does not require certainty that a crime occurred.

Singh was placed in handcuffs at the scene and arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs.

Police Seek Expedited Blood Test

Police took Singh to Community Regional Medical Center, where a blood sample was collected at 1:07 a.m., according to Casto.

He was then cited and released to his wife.

At his Monday news conference, Singh said his wife encouraged him to obtain an independent urine test after his release. Singh displayed results showing negative findings for several drugs.

Casto said Tuesday that the independent urine screening was not equivalent to the blood toxicology testing ordered as part of the DUI investigation.

She called the blood test the “gold standard” and said it can screen for a broader range of substances, including prescription drugs.

Singh has said he does not drink or use drugs. Community leaders who appeared with him Monday also said he does neither.

Singh has not responded to questions about whether he takes prescription medication that could factor into the investigation. However, he has said that the blood test would exonerate him.

Casto said toxicology results ordinarily take several weeks but Fresno police have asked the contracted independent laboratory to expedite Singh’s testing because of public concern surrounding the case.

She said police do not yet have a timeframe for when the results will be available.

Toxicology Results May Need Interpretation

Toxicology results may also require interpretation because a substance can remain detectable after its impairing effects have worn off, a public defender previously told GV Wire.

Casto nevertheless said the pending laboratory result does not change her assessment of the officer’s actions Saturday night.

“After a thorough review of the officer’s investigation, the arrest of Chann (Singh) was absolutely the appropriate course of action under the circumstances,” Casto said in a written statement, referring to Singh by the name listed on his driver’s license.

Casto said Fresno police made 284 traffic enforcement stops Friday and Saturday, including Singh’s.

She said the department has a longstanding policy of strict DUI enforcement and that DUI is one of two categories of offenses, along with certain domestic violence cases, in which department policy mandates an arrest.

Fresno police made 2,503 DUI arrests in 2025, Casto said.

Of Fresno’s 44 fatal collisions that year, 15 involved a driver under the influence, according to police.

Casto emphasized that Singh remains presumed innocent and said the department would release his toxicology results once they are available.

“If Chann’s (Singh) blood results return negative, I will be the first to apologize to him for the inconvenience and any embarrassment caused,” Casto said.