(File Pic) India-designated terrorist and pro-Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar |
A Canadian court has granted bail to all four accused in Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar murder probe, reported India Today. The India-designated terrorist was killed in June 2023 in Surrey, Canada. Justin Trudeau, the caretaker prime minister of Canada had accused Indian ‘agents’ of being responsible for Nijjar killing.
The four accused: Kamalpreet Singh, Karanpreet Singh, Amandeep Singh and Karan Brar, face charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
The trial will now be heard in British Columbia Supreme Court on February 11.
The Nijjar case hit international headlines after Canadian PM Justin Trudeau levelled allegations against India hinting that it had a hand in eliminating the pro-Khalistan leader in Canada. Speaking in Canadian parliament, Trudeau alleged that Indian ‘agents’ were involved in the murder.
India rejected the allegations and asked Trudeau to provide evidence which he did not present.
Ties between India and Canada, traditionaly close due to political and even cultural affinities, nosedived after Trudeau’s allegations.
India for years, has been saying that Canada does not crack down on pro-Khalistan element which use Canadian soil to spread their propaganda from.
Even in the wake of Trudeau’s allegations, India repeated the charge but there was no substantial action from Canada against pro-Khalistan leaders withing its borders.
After Trudeau’s allegations, Canada even went to the length of naming high-ranking Indian diplomats in Canada as ‘persons of interest’ in Nijjar probe.
India recalled these diplomats in order to shield them from unjust Canadian action and expelled equal number of Canadian diplomats from India.
There wasn’t any immediate reaction from higher echelons of Canadian politics. At the time of publishing of this story, Trudeau did not say anything about the development from his official handle on X (formerly Twitter).
On January 6, Trudeau announced his intention to step down as PM and leader of the Liberal Party. He said that he will continue to fulfill his duties as PM till Liberal Party chooses a new leader.
