Canada expels India’s high diplomat and alleges wider diplomatic involvement in crimes

TORONTO — Canada mentioned it has recognized India’s high diplomat within the nation as an individual of curiosity within the assassination of a Sikh activist there and expelled him and 5 different diplomats Monday, in an escalating dispute over the June 2023 killing and allegations of different crimes.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned Canada was expelling the Indian excessive commissioner and the others — all individuals of curiosity, as Canada’s overseas minister mentioned police had uncovered proof of a worsening marketing campaign in opposition to Canadian residents by brokers of the Indian authorities.

“We’ll by no means tolerate the involvement of a overseas authorities threatening and killing Canadian residents on Canadian soil,” Trudeau said. He alleged that diplomats were collecting information about Canadians and passing it on to organized crime to attack Canadians, and said “India has made a monumental mistake.”

India has rejected the accusations as absurd.

India’s overseas ministry in flip mentioned it was expelling Canada’s appearing excessive commissioner and 5 different diplomats, including that they had been instructed to go away by the tip of Saturday.

Trudeau mentioned final 12 months there have been credible allegations that India’s authorities had hyperlinks to the assassination in Canada of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Canada’s overseas minister, Mélanie Joly, mentioned the Royal Canadian Mounted Police had gathered “ample, clear and concrete evidence which identified six individuals as persons of interest in the Nijjar case.”

She mentioned India was requested to waive diplomatic and consular immunity and cooperate within the investigation however refused. She requested that India’s authorities help the continued investigation “as it remains in both our countries’ interest to get to the bottom of this.”

She famous that violence “actually increased” following the allegations a 12 months in the past.

RCMP Mike Duheme mentioned police have proof allegedly tying Indian authorities brokers to different homicides and violent acts in Canada.

“The team has learned a significant amount of information about the breadth and depth of criminal activity orchestrated by agents of the government of India, and consequential threats to the safety and security of Canadians and individuals living in Canada,” he mentioned.

Duheme declined to supply specifics, citing ongoing investigations, however he mentioned there have been nicely over a dozen credible and imminent threats which have resulted in police warning members of the South Asian neighborhood, notably the pro-Khalistan, or Sikh independence, motion. He mentioned makes an attempt to have discussions with Indian regulation enforcement had been unsuccessful.

Nijjar, 45, was fatally shot in his pickup truck after he left the Sikh temple he led in Surrey, British Columbia. An Indian-born citizen of Canada, he owned a plumbing enterprise and was a frontrunner in what stays of a once-strong motion to create an impartial Sikh homeland.

4 Indian nationals dwelling in Canada had been charged with Niijar’s homicide.

India designated Nijjar a terrorist in 2020, and on the time of his dying had been looking for his arrest for alleged involvement in an assault on a Hindu priest.

India has repeatedly criticized Trudeau’s authorities for being tender on supporters of the Khalistan motion who reside in Canada. The Khalistan motion is banned in India however has help among the many Sikh diaspora, notably in Canada.

India has been asking nations like Canada, Australia and the U.Ok. to take authorized motion in opposition to Sikh activists. India has notably raised these issues with Canada, the place Sikhs make up almost 2% of the nation’s inhabitants.

In response to Canada’s earlier allegations, India instructed Canada final 12 months to take away 41 of its 62 diplomats within the nation. Relations between the nations have been frosty since then.

The Indian overseas ministry mentioned Monday that “India reserves the right to take further steps in response to the Trudeau government’s support for extremism, violence and separatism against India.”

The ministry additionally summoned Canada’s high diplomat in New Delhi and instructed him that “the baseless targeting” of the Indian excessive commissioner and different diplomats and officers in Canada “was completely unacceptable.”

One of many diplomats, Stewart Wheeler, instructed reporters after being summoned that India should examine the allegations and that Canada “stands ready to cooperate with India.”

In the meantime, the U.S. State Division mentioned in an announcement that an Indian inquiry committee set as much as examine a plot to assassinate one other outstanding Sikh separatist chief dwelling in New York would journey to Washington on Tuesday as a part of its ongoing investigations to debate the case.

“Additionally, India has informed the United States they are continuing their efforts to investigate other linkages of the former government employee and will determine follow-up steps, as necessary,” it said.

Last year, U.S. prosecutors said an Indian government official directed the plot to assassinate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil and announced charges against a man they said was part of the thwarted conspiracy.

The official was neither charged nor identified by name, but was described as a “senior field officer” with duties in safety administration and intelligence, and was mentioned to have beforehand served in India’s Central Reserve Police Power.

New Delhi on the time expressed concern after the U.S. raised the problem and mentioned India takes it significantly.

Canada’s overseas minister on Monday famous that India is cooperating with U.S. officers and might do it with Canada as nicely.