OTTAWA: Canadian authorities have conducted an extensive investigation into the death of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a case that has heightened tensions with India, international media reported.
The probe incorporated both human and signal intelligence, including communications from Indian officials and diplomats in Canada, based on information from Canadian government sources. Notably, some of the intelligence was provided by an undisclosed ally within the Five Eyes intelligence alliance.
Despite the diplomatic crisis, Canadian authorities have been shuttling back and forth to India in search of cooperation for the investigation.
Nijjar, the victim, was brutally murdered outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, B.C., Canada, on June 18. Reports suggest that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service had warned him of the risks he faced.
Jody Thomas, Canada’s National Security and Intelligence Adviser, visited India in August and September, and his last visit coincided with a tense meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Privately, sources from Canada have indicated that no Indian officials have denied the significant allegations central to this case. These allegations suggest evidence of Indian authorities’ involvement in the assassination of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, while attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York, emphasized the gravity of the charges brought forward in the House of Commons. Canadian officials have not disclosed the evidence they possess, hinting that it may be revealed during potential legal proceedings in the near future.
This dispute has strained Canada’s relationship with India, particularly at a time when the United States is actively seeking India as a potential ally.
India Protests Canada’s Alleged Sheltering of Sikh Separatists
India has expressed displeasure with Canada, believing that Canada is providing refuge to Sikh separatists, including Nijjar, whom India has labeled a terrorist.
As a result of the escalating dispute, diplomats from both Canada and India have been expelled. Additionally, India has halted the processing of visitor visas for Canada.
The dispute has garnered international attention, including in Washington, D.C., where journalists have posed several questions about the India-Canada conflict during White House daily briefings.
While the United States government has neither confirmed nor denied the intelligence signals provided by its Five Eyes ally, a senior US government official has confirmed frequent contact between the United States and Canadian authorities regarding this issue.
