Canada Alleges Indian Consular Staff Linked to Nijjar Killing

A significant report by The Globe and Mail, corroborated by other media outlets, has alleged that Canadian national-security officials have obtained evidence implicating Indian consular staff in Vancouver in the assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The report, citing unidentified national-security and law-enforcement sources, suggests that a visa officer at the Vancouver consulate, identified by some sources as Kanwaljit Singh, allegedly used his diplomatic cover to gather intelligence on Nijjar from members of the Indian diaspora in Surrey, British Columbia.. These sources further claim that this official was also an intelligence officer with India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) had been monitoring him.. The report further details that the intelligence gathered by the Vancouver-based officer was allegedly relayed to a RAW officer in New Delhi, identified as Vikash Yadav. This officer in New Delhi is then said to have communicated with the Lawrence Bishnoi organized-crime group, which allegedly facilitated the execution of the assassination.. The report also mentions that a Canada-based gang member allegedly helped arrange the killing.. Vikash Yadav has also been named in a United States indictment concerning a separate, foiled plot to assassinate another Sikh activist, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.. These explosive claims come at a particularly sensitive time, coinciding with efforts to mend strained diplomatic ties between India and Canada. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was in New Delhi to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aiming for a reset in bilateral relations.. The timing of the report, as reported by The Tribune India, adds a fresh layer of tension to these diplomatic discussions.. Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent figure advocating for an independent Sikh homeland (Khalistan), was shot and killed outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023.. Following his death, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that Canadian security agencies were investigating "credible allegations" linking Indian government agents to the murder, which led to a significant deterioration in Indo-Canadian relations.. Four Indian nationals have since been charged in Canada with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with Nijjar's killing.. India has consistently and vehemently denied any involvement in Nijjar's death.. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has categorically rejected the allegations, terming them "baseless, politically motivated and unsupported by credible evidence.". India has called for such sensitive matters to be addressed through legal processes rather than public or politicized narratives, expressing confidence in Canada's legal system.. The allegations in The Globe and Mail report are based on information from Canadian national-security and law-enforcement sources, corroborated by intelligence from Canada's spy agency and its allies in the United States and the United Kingdom, as part of the 'Five Eyes' intelligence-sharing network.. Earlier reports also indicated that British intelligence agencies had intercepted communications that appeared to implicate Indian government operatives in discussions about potential targets, including Nijjar.. This development underscores the ongoing diplomatic challenges between India and Canada, stemming from the Nijjar assassination. Despite efforts to de-escalate, such reports continue to surface, highlighting the deep distrust and the complex nature of the ongoing investigation. The article in Tribune India notes that India has not yet responded officially to the specific claims made in The Globe and Mail report at the time of its publication.. However, subsequent statements from India's MEA reiterate their firm stance of rejection..

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