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Nijjar Case: Four Suspects still in custody, No bail granted
Despite media reports alleging bail, the British Columbia Court clarified that the four main suspects remain in custody pending trial.
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Hardeep Singh Nijjar / Wikimedia Commons
In response to reports in Indian media claiming that all four main suspects in the high-profile case of the assassination of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar had been released on bail, a spokesperson from the Ministry of Attorney General of British Columbia clarified the situation, stating that the information was inaccurate.
The four suspects in the case - Karan Brar, Amandeep Singh, Kamalpreet Singh, and Karanpreet Singh - were charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. “All four accused were detained and they continue to remain in custody,” the spokesperson said maintaining that trial dates have not yet been set in this matter.
The trial was moved to the New Westminster Law Courts (Supreme Court) on a plea from the prosecution. The next court appearance is a pre-trial conference on Feb. 11. The spokesperson said there is also a subsequent court appearance on Feb. 12.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was declared a proclaimed offender and wanted by the Indian police in various cases for his alleged involvement in anti-India activities, was assassinated outside a Sikh Temple in Surrey in 2023. Diplomatic relations between the two countries soured after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a statement on the floor of the House of Commons that there were “credible allegations” of the involvement of Indian agents in the assassination of Nijjar.
Justin Trudeau and his Liberal party had repeatedly asserted that Canada was a nation that upheld the rule of law and would not tolerate any attempt to undermine its sovereignty. They maintained that Canada would never take lightly any threat or attempt on the safety and security of Canadians on its soil.
The government of India, however, denied the allegations and claimed that no evidence was shared with it.
Upon exiting a Surrey gurdwara, Nijjar, the president of the gurdwara's management committee, was followed in his vehicle and attacked.
Subsequently, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police tracked down the four suspects and charge-sheeted them for killing the Sikh separatist leader. However, delays in presenting evidence by the prosecution during preliminary hearings drew criticism.
The Canadian government had invoked a "direct indictment", transferring the case from the Surrey Provincial Court to the British Columbia Supreme Court. This legal manoeuvre bypasses a preliminary inquiry, expediting the case to trial.
An interim publication ban, requested by the Crown and consented to by defence counsel, has been imposed on pre-trial proceedings. This restricts public access to updates on case management discussions and pre-trial motions.
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