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New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India will wait for Canadian police to share details about three Indian nationals arrested for the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year.
Jaishankar said he had seen reports of the arrests and added that the suspects are “clearly Indians with some kind of gang background… we will have to wait for the police to tell us”. He said, “But, as I said, one of our concerns that we have been telling them is that, you know, they have allowed organised crime from India, particularly from Punjab, to operate in Canada.”
On Friday, Canadian police arrested three members of an alleged hit squad linked to Nijjar’s killing last year in British Columbia. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have released the pictures with named of the three men as Karanpreet Singh, 28, Kamalpreet Singh, 22, and Karan Brar, 22. The three were living in Edmonton, Alberta, where they were detained.
At a press conference, RCMP Superintendent Mandeep Muker said, “We are investigating their links with the Indian government.” According to court records, the three have been charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. They had lived in Canada for three to five years.
Investigations are ongoing, with Assistant Commissioner David Tebull confirming that separate and specific investigations are ongoing, which are not limited to the involvement of the individuals arrested.
Investigators believe others may be involved in the killing, and further arrests or charges are possible. Nijjar was shot dead on June 18, 2023, shortly after evening prayers at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey.
Jaishankar said whatever is happening in the electoral state Canada over the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar is mostly due to their internal politics and has nothing to do with India. Jaishankar said this while responding to a question about Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau criticising India.
He said a section of pro-Khalistan people are using Canada’s democracy, creating a lobby and becoming a vote bank. He said the ruling party in Canada does not have a majority in the Parliament and some parties are dependent on pro-Khalistan leaders.
Jaishankar said, “We have explained to them several times that they should not give visa, legitimacy or political space to such people, which is creating problems for them (Canada), for us and for our relations as well.”
The external affairs minister said,“Canada did not give any proof. They do not share any evidence with us in certain cases, police agencies also do not cooperate with us. It is their political compulsion in Canada to blame India. As an election is coming in Canada, they indulge in vote bank politics.”
