Investigators in Canada have reportedly zeroed in on the assassins who killed Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, Vancouver, on June 18.
According to a report by the Canadian publication Globe and Mail, the suspected killers did not leave Canada after eliminating Nijjar. The unnamed sources told the publication that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is hot on the trail of the two men suspected of shooting Nijjar to death, and arrests will be made within the next few weeks.
The three sources also revealed that the offenders continued to reside in Canada where they’ve been under surveillance for months, as per. Two of the sources confirmed that the RCMP will make the arrests and charge the individuals in the coming weeks.
In September, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of ordering the assassination of Nijjar, a Canadian national. According to the news report, when the charges against the two men are filed, the police will explain the alleged killers' involvement as well as the role of the Indian government in the case.
As per a Washington Post report from September, which cited video footage of the killing and witness accounts, six men and two vehicles were involved in the killing of the Khalistani leader. The Globe and Mail report did not mention if suspected accomplices are expected to be arrested and charged.
The allegations against India were first raised in Canada's House of Commons on September 18, three months after Nijjar was killed in a gurudwara parking lot. India denied any involvement in the matter, and the two countries have been embroiled in a diplomatic tussle ever since.
Since then, Trudeau has repeatedly raised the issue and requested India's cooperation in their investigation. India, on the other hand, has maintained that Canada has yet to provide relevant information and evidence to back up these claims.
In an indictment issued in November, the United States charged an Indian national named Nikhil Gupta and identified an Indian government officer known only as "CC1" in connection with a foiled assassination plot against Khalistani leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Gupta was charged with murder for hire in the indictment that also mentioned Nijjar’s assassination.
According to the filing, Gupta told an undercover officer less than two weeks before Nijjar's death that there was a "target" in Canada. After Nijjar was killed, Gupta directed that Pannun's murder be expedited, saying there was "no need to wait" any longer, according to the indictment.
Comments
Start the conversation
Become a member of New India Abroad to start commenting.
Sign Up Now
Already have an account? Login