Three Indian men have been arrested in Canada and charged with the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Last year, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had mentioned “credible allegations” of Indian involvement in Nijjar’s murder, although the Indian government claimed that no evidence had been shared with them. The suspects were scheduled to appear in court again on May 21.
India stated that Canada had informed them about the arrest of the three Indian men charged with Nijjar’s murder in British Columbia, but emphasized that no relevant information or specific evidence about Delhi’s involvement had been shared with them by Canadian authorities. India’s External Affairs Ministry spokesman accused Canada of providing shelter to individuals advocating violence against India and allowing entry and residency to people associated with organized crime in India. Many extradition requests from India are still pending.
The killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year led to a diplomatic dispute after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau implied Indian involvement based on “credible allegations.” India denied the accusations. The three arrested Indian men in Canada have not yet requested access to Indian diplomats. The suspects, Kamalpreet Singh, Karan Brar, and Karanpreet Singh, appeared in court via video link and agreed to a trial in English. They were ordered to appear in court again on May 21 after being arrested in Edmonton, Alberta, on charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Canadian Mounted Police Superintendent Mandeep Mooker stated that the investigation into whether the suspects had ties to the Indian government was ongoing. The three suspects had been residing in Canada as non-permanent residents. India has been engaging in discussions with Canada at the diplomatic level regarding the matter, and there have been complaints of Indian diplomats being threatened and obstructed in performing their duties. Discussions on similar matters are ongoing between the two countries.
