Politics

Hardeep Nijjar Killing: 3 Arrested Indians Appear in Court; Canada Reiterates ‘Indian Agents’ Allegations

The claims that Indian agents killed Hardeep Singh Nijjar remain unproven, according to Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly. This is true, even though there is no proof linking New Delhi to the incident. On Tuesday, three Indian nationals who are charged with killing the country’s designated terrorist made their first appearance via video in a Canadian court. All three Indian nationals living in Edmonton, Karan Brar, 22, Kamalpreet Singh, 22, and Karanpreet Singh, 28, were taken into custody and charged last Friday with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

Melanie Joly, in an interview with reporters, stated that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are looking into the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. According to CPAC, she also stated that Canada will keep defending its citizens. Canada has always maintained a clear stance. We must defend Canadians, and we maintain the claim that an Indian agent killed a Canadian citizen on Canadian territory. The RCMP is currently conducting an investigation,” Melanie Joly stated.

Following the Canadian Police’s announcement of the three accused people’s arrests, she made her statement. But as was speculatively reported in Canadian media, Canadian police officers have also not provided any proof of any connection to India. The Globe and Mail, a Canadian news website, reports that on Tuesday, Sikh community members from British Columbia packed a Surrey courthouse to see the first-ever video court appearance of three Indian nationals who are suspected of murdering Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

The three accused, Karan Brar, Karanpreet Singh, and Kamalpreet Singh, were briefly questioned by Judge Delaram Jahani. Brar and Karanpreet Singh decided to make another appearance on May 21 through their counsel. The Globe and Mail stated that Kamalpreet Singh has requested legal representation, but the court has not yet determined a new date for him. From North Fraser Pretrial Center, each of them made their appearance.

The allegations of first-degree murder and plotting to kill Hardeep Singh Nijjar were acknowledged by all three, who also consented to have the hearings conducted in English. A no-contact order that forbids the accused from speaking with any of the seven individuals listed in a part of the Canada Criminal Code was issued by the court to the Crown prosecutor. According to the article, the order names Nijjar’s 21-year-old son Balraj Nijjar along with Harjinder Nijjar, Mehtab Nijjar, Sarandeep Sehaj, Harsimranjeet Singh, Arshdeep Kapoor, and Malkit Singh.

A September Supreme Court of Canada ruling stated that even if found not guilty, the foreign national could still be deported because of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, which forbids entry into Canada for those who pose a threat to national security. The ruling was reached unanimously by the nine judges, according to Canadian Lawyer Magazine, which reported on the Vancouver Sun story. The courtroom was filled with hundreds of local supporters of Khalistan. To accommodate an extra fifty people who wished to see the hearing, a second overflow room inside the courthouse was opened. Approximately one hundred other individuals outside the courthouse brandished posters endorsing Sikh separatism and waved Khalistan flags.

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On June 18, 2023, in Surrey, a gurdwara was fired, and Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, was killed. India responded to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s latest words about the killing of Nijjar on Thursday by rejecting them and stating that they once again demonstrated the political leeway that Canada has granted to violence, extremism, and separatism. On Sunday, Trudeau spoke at a Khalsa Day gathering in Toronto that included some pro-Khalistan attendees. Trudeau’s claims in September of last year about the “potential” participation of Indian operatives in the 45-year-old Nijjar’s death severely strained ties between India and Canada. Trudeau’s accusations have been brushed off by India as “absurd” and “motivated.”