'No Relevant Evidence': India Reacts Strongly After Canada Arrests 3 in Hardeep Nijjar Case

New Delhi: India on Thursday revealed that while they were aware of the arrests of three Indians in Canada in connection with the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, they had not received any formal communication from Canadian authorities regarding the matter. Addressing a presser, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "No specific or relevant evidence or information has been shared by the Canadian authorities to date. You will therefore understand our view that the matter is being pre-judged. Obviously, there are political interests at work."

Jaiswal also expressed concern and alleged that Canada was providing political space to separatists, extremists, and advocates of violence. He further claimed that Indian diplomats faced threats with impunity in Canada and encountered obstacles while carrying out their diplomatic duties.

"We have also pointed to the Canadian authorities that figures associated with organised crime with links to India have been allowed entry and residency in Canada. Many of our extradition requests are pending. We are having discussions at the diplomatic level on all these matters," the MEA spokesperson said.

Earlier on Wednesday, three Indian nationals accused of killing Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year appeared before a Canadian court through video for the first time to face homicide charges in a case that has soured Canada-India relations. Karan Brar, 22, Kamalpreet Singh, 22, and Karanpreet Singh, 28, all Indian nationals residing in Edmonton, were arrested and charged on Friday with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

They appeared separately by video in front of a packed Surrey provincial courtroom on Tuesday to acknowledge the charges of first-degree murder and conspiring to commit murder and to agree to have their cases adjourned to May 21 to give them time to consult with their lawyers, the Vancouver Sun newspaper reported.

The three - believed to be connected to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang - appeared before the Surrey Provincial Court in British Columbia province, the report said.

Each of them appeared separately from North Fraser Pretrial Centre wearing jail-issued red T-shirts or sweatshirts and sweatpants.

Two of the accused appeared in the morning while Kamalpreet Singh’s appearance was delayed until after lunch to give him time to consult with a lawyer.

All three agreed to have the proceedings heard in English and each of them nodded that they understood the charges of first-degree murder and conspiring to murder Nijjar, the report said.

The court granted the Crown prosecutor’s request for a no-contact order naming seven people under a Canada Criminal Code section that bans the accused from communicating directly or indirectly with any of them.

Those named on the order are Nijjar’s son Balraj Nijjar, 21, and Harjinder Nijjar, Mehtab Nijjar, Sarandeep Sehaj, Harsimranjeet Singh, Arshdeep Kapoor and Malkit Singh, the report added.

The three accused men had a brief appearance before an adjudicator on Saturday for an interim judicial release hearing, after which they were kept in custody.

Their next step would be to have their lawyers apply for bail, said Surrey criminal and immigration lawyer Affan Bajwa, who has no connection to the case.

Bajwa said their chances of being released on bail would depend on whether their lawyers could make a strong case to the judge.

“I think it may be difficult for them to be released on bail because of a possible flight risk and risk to public safety,” he said.

Bajwa also said if the case goes ahead, the men would be tried in Canada and if found guilty of first-degree murder would have no chance of parole for at least 25 years.

If they are foreign nationals or permanent residents, as soon as they’re released, they would face a deportation hearing by the Canada Border Services Agency, he said.

If found not guilty, they could still be deported, according to a Supreme Court of Canada ruling in September in which the nine judges unanimously ruled that a foreign national could be deemed inadmissible to Canada on security grounds under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act of “being a danger to the security of Canada,” according to Canadian Lawyer Magazine, the Vancouver Sun report said.

Hundreds of local Sikhs carrying Khalistan flags and posters showed up at the courthouse. For the unversed, Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey on June 18, 2023.

(With agency inputs)