Canada has faced a significant blow as all four accused in the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar have been granted bail. The next hearing on this matter is scheduled for February 11.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar was murdered in June 2023 in Surrey, Canada. Four individuals were arrested in connection with his murder. However, the case drew global attention when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) accused an Indian government agent of orchestrating the assassination, claims which the Indian government firmly denied.
An examination of court documents by India Today reveals that all four accused have been granted bail under a stay of proceedings. During their court appearance on November 18, 2024, they appeared before the Supreme Court with 'N' marked on their status, indicating they are not in custody but possibly released under selective conditions.
Source: aajtak
The accused, Karan Brar, Kamalpreet Singh, Karanpreet Singh, and Amandeep Singh, were charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy. The case is scheduled for a hearing at the British Columbia Supreme Court on February 11.
Who are the three Indians?
Accused of Nijjar's murder are 22-year-olds Karan Brar and Kamalpreet Singh, and 28-year-old Karanpreet Singh. Referred to as the 'K Group' due to the initial letter of their names, they are Indian nationals residing in Edmonton, Canada.
The accused arrived in Canada on temporary visas in 2021, some with student visas without pursuing education there. They face charges of murder and conspiracy.
Trudeau's Allegations Against India
In 2023, standing in Parliament, Justin Trudeau accused India of being responsible for the assassination of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. This led to a surge in diplomatic tensions between India and Canada, with relations experiencing fluctuating dynamics. India also accused Trudeau and his party of using Khalistani support as a political vote bank strategy.
In January of this year, Canada's former National Security Advisor, Jodi Thomas, stated India was cooperating with Canada's investigation on Nijjar's murder.
Previous Year's Assassination of Nijjar
In June 2023, Nijjar was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey, Canada. He was a known Khalistani terrorist, chief of the Khalistan Tiger Force, and had been residing in Canada, promoting terrorism against India from abroad.
Intelligence sources mentioned that in the past year, Nijjar became a significant concern for Indian agencies as he provided logistical and financial support to Lawrence Bishnoi's gang overseas.
During Trudeau's 2018 visit to India, Punjab's then Chief Minister Amarinder Singh handed over a list of Khalistani terrorists to him, which included Nijjar’s name. In 2020, the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs declared Nijjar as a designated terrorist. He was named in an FIR for a 2010 bomb blast outside a temple in Patiala and was wanted for inciting violence, promoting terrorism, among other charges.
India had declared Hardeep Singh Nijjar a designated terrorist, placing a bounty of ten lakh on him by the NIA.
