Nijjar killing probe ‘tainted’, ‘show evidence’: Indian envoy to Canada

India’s high commissioner to Ottawa has said the investigation into the killing of Khalistani figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar may have “already been tainted” with a “direction” from “someone at a high level to say India or Indian agents are behind it”.

High commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma made these remarks in an interview with the Canadian national daily, the Globe and Mail.

“There is no specific or relevant information provided in this case for us to assist them in the investigation,” Verma told the outlet about statements from the Canadian government asking India to cooperate in the investigation into the murder on June 18 in the town of Surrey in the province of British Columbia. He added, “Where is the evidence? Where is the conclusion of the investigation? I would go a step further and say now the investigation has already been tainted. A direction has come from someone at a high level to say India or Indian agents are behind it.”

Verma did not mention any names. On September 18, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated in the House of Commons that there were “credible allegations” of a potential link between Indian agents and the killing of the principal for the secessionist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) in British Columbia.

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In the immediate aftermath of Trudeau’s statement, which New Delhi described as “absurd” and “motivated”, both countries expelled a diplomat each since. In October, 41 Canadian diplomats were pulled from India after New Delhi said they would lose diplomatic immunity if they remained in station. Canada described that act as “mass expulsion” of its diplomats, while India has argued it wanted “parity” in the numbers of diplomats.

Nijjar, the secessionist group Sikhs for Justice’s principal in British Columbia, was gunned down in the parking lot of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara that he headed in the town of Surrey.

While India had accused Nijjar of being a terrorist, the charges against him were never tested in a Canadian court. Canada is yet to provide any evidence of New Delhi’s involvement in the killing.

The newspaper reported that Canadian government sources have said intelligence implicating agents of India includes Indian diplomatic communications that were picked up by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), as well as information from an unnamed Five Eyes ally. Other than Canada, that group includes the United States, United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia.

Verma denied India was involved in the killing, and added diplomatic communications could neither be used as evidence nor publicly released. “You are talking about illegal wiretaps and talking about evidence. Conversations between two diplomats are secure by all international law,” he said, adding, “Show me how you captured these conversations. Show me that someone did not mimic the voice.”

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