India has asked Canada to treat as a priority investigation into two persons based in the country who were recently chargesheeted in a case relating in the killing of a priest in Punjab’s Jalandhar in January 2021

TORONTO: India has asked Canada to treat as a priority investigation into two persons based in the country who were recently chargesheeted in a case relating in the killing of a priest in Punjab’s Jalandhar in January 2021.

Of the four persons named in the chargesheet filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) before a special court last week, two were said to be based in Canada: Hardeep Singh Nijjar, self-styled chief of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), and his aide Arshdeep Singh, according to the NIA.

Nijjar belongs to Jalandhar but is presently residing at Surrey in British Columbia, while Moga resident Arshdeep’s last known location was in the Greater Toronto Area.

A senior Indian official told the Hindustan Times that discussions in this regard were in progress with the Canadian side and Ottawa has been requested to “show some action on these two pieces (Nijjar and Arshdeep), as these are priorities for us”.

The discussions specific to Nijjar and Arshdeep also occurred when a NIA team visited Ottawa in the first week of November last year and again when a reciprocal visit by a team of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to New Delhi took place last month.

The case in this instance relates to conspiracy to murder priest Kamaldeep Sharma, at a village in Jalandhar, according to the chargesheet.

None of these charges against either Nijjar or Arshdeep have been proven in a Canadian court. The separatist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), with whom Nijjar is associated, has denied any use of violence in its activities and has said he continues to lead its ‘Khalistan Referendum’ project in the province of British Columbia.

Discussions On Probe Against Goldy Brar Underway

India has also been discussing the ongoing investigation into Satinderjeet Singh, better known as Goldy Brar, for his alleged role in the killing of popular performer and politician Sidhu Moose Wala in May.

While a red corner notice (RCN) in this regard was issued by Interpol in June, action from Canadian authorities will be sought once the nodal investigating agency, Punjab Police, has provided the relevant documentary evidence, including that confirmed that Brar is operating out of Canada, a senior Indian official said. Once such material is received, India’s mission to Canada will raise the matter bilaterally.

India and Canada have a long-standing Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty under which cooperation is mandated between law enforcement agencies.

After the NIA-RCMP meeting in June, Canada’s high commissioner to New Delhi Cameron Mackay tweeted, “All our law enforcement agencies are working closely together to fight transnational crime and ensure public safety.” Later in the month, after meeting Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, he said, “We will work together to support the rule of law and robust cooperation between our law enforcement agencies.”