Indian diplomat involvement confirmed in Canadian Sikh leader’s assassination

The latest release of information from Canadian authorities regarding the assassination of Shaheed (martyr) Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar has revealed diplomatic communications are part of the “credible evidence” which point to India’s involvement.

The news was broken by CBC News this afternoon (21.09.23), stating:

“The Canadian government has amassed both human and signals (communications) intelligence in a months-long investigation of a Sikh activist’s death that has inflamed relations with India, sources tell CBC News. That intelligence includes communications involving Indian officials themselves, including Indian diplomats present in Canada, say Canadian government sources. The intelligence did not come solely from Canada. Some was provided by an unnamed ally in the Five Eyes intelligence alliance.“

The new information also relayed that Canadian officials found no denials of India’s involvement during direct engagement between both nations’ intelligence services, although cooperation with Canada for clarity was not forthcoming from India.

The diplomatic communications cited are also said to confirm the assassination of Nijjar was sanctioned higher-up the Indian government’s chain of command. Whether this goes all the way to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is unclear. This would not be Modi’s first alleged involvement in murder, with the former Chief Minister of Gujarat long linked to facilitating the anti-Muslim massacres in the state in 2002, leading to him receiving a ban from entering various Western countries until he became Prime Minister in 2015.

The new information comes after two Indian diplomats were expelled from Canada on Monday, when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the news of India’s involvement in the assassination of Nijjar.

Diplomat Parag Jain of the Indian Consulate in Ottawa, and Amar Jit Singh, the Consul at the Indian Consulate in Vancouver, were the two expelled diplomats linked with the interference, although a third (Pavan Kumar Rai, pictured) was also forced to leave Canada.

Singh was carrying out undeclared intelligence activities according to The Bureau, including “recruiting sources and agents to infiltrate, monitor and co-opt Sikh diaspora communities“, as well as “interfering and influencing voting in favour of those that were assessed as pro-India candidates“. Singh and Jain were also allegedly “facilitating visas for Indo-Canadian politicians and their friends,” while manipulating “India’s ‘black list’ of people banned from travelling to India“.

The news has once again sent shockwaves around the world regarding India’s targeting of diaspora Sikhs. However, Sikhs have openly stated diplomats were involved in Nijjar’s assassination, evident from the much-talked-about posters released by Sikhs For Justice after the murder. Whilst many political commentators and anti-Sikh media figures used the posters to suggest Sikhs For Justice – the group behind the Khalistan Referendum campaign – were agitating in Canada, the latest news vindicates their efforts to hold Indian officials accountable for the crime, although neither Parag Jain nor Amar Jit Singh were specifically mentioned.

The actions of Indian diplomats and consulate staff have long been cited as questionable by various Sikh groups. In 2020, Indian officials of the Hamburg (Germany) consulate were find attempting to covertly gather data on local Sikhs- Indian government caught spying on Sikhs in Germany | SikhPA. In March of this year, India’s High Commission staff in London were found to be throwing ink at Sikh protesters demonstrating outside of the building.

Meanwhile, US sources have claimed President Joe Biden raised Nijjar’s murder directly with Modi at the recent G20 summit. Biden’s questioning of Modi was part of an interrogation on the Indian PM by members of Five Eyes.

Five Eyes is an intelligence-sharing network comprised of the USA, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The network comes from an initial intelligence agreement set in 1941 between the UK and USA, with the current form including all five nations cemented in 1955.

Speaking on the new information, Sikh Press Association Senior Press Officer Jasveer Singh said:

“Once again, this news will shock much of the world but not panthic (Sikh path/community focused) groups, who have for decades said India’s interference on Sikh diaspora communities is coordinated at an official level.

“Questions will now be asked of India’s diplomats across the world. Given incidents in Australia and the UK, there will likely be particular scrutiny there, and Sikhs will be anticipating swift action for clarity or perhaps even justice.”

Media inquiries- media@sikhpa.com.