Brampton, Canada:

Amid heightened diplomatic tension with India, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called his own intelligence officials “criminals” for linking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar to violence on Canadian soil.

Addressing media in Brampton on Friday, Trudeau said, “We have seen, unfortunately, that criminals leaking top-secret information to the media have consistently gotten those stories wrong.”

“That’s why we had a national enquiry into foreign interference, which has highlighted that criminals leaking information to media outlets are unreliable on top of being criminals,” he added.

Reacting on Globe & Mail report on PM Modi, EAM, NSA, Canada PM Justin Trudeau terms his officials ‘criminals’ for leaking information to media on Indian Leadership; Terms media reports ‘wrong’

Ctsy: CPAC pic.twitter.com/eQji6hKkNw

— Vipul (@_lonewolf0308) November 23, 2024

The development came after Canada, on Thursday, fact-checked and denied a report linking top Indian leaders to criminal activities on Canadian soil. 

In a statement posted on a government website, Nathalie Drouin, Mr Trudeau’s intelligence adviser, said: “The Government of Canada has not stated, nor is it aware of the evidence, linking Prime Minister Modi, Minister Jaishankar, or NSA Doval to the serious criminal activity within Canada. Any suggestion to the contrary is both speculative and inaccurate.”

Canada’s statement came after Globe and Mail newspaper published a report this week, alleging that Canadian security agencies believed PM Modi knew about the violent plots and said Mr Jaishankar and National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval were also in the loop.

Last month, The Canadian foreign ministry alleged Union Home Minister Amit Shah was behind a campaign of intimidation in Canada. Ottawa says it has evidence linking Indian government agents to the 2023 murder of Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who held a Canadian passport.

The ties between the two countries have come under severe strain following Trudeau’s allegations in September last year of a “potential involvement” of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who held a Canadian passport.

New Delhi rejected Trudeau’s charges as “absurd”. India has maintained that the main issue between the two countries is that of Canada giving space to pro-Khalistan elements operating from Canadian soil with impunity.

The row has escalated to a point where both countries have expelled each other’s top diplomats.

New Delhi:

Canada rolled back its standard operating procedures for extra screening of travellers flying to India, days after the move was implemented “out of abundance of caution”.

The revised measures, that come amid souring ties between India and Canada, mandating that travellers to India will not be subject to extra screening. 

Canada’s Transport Minister Anita Anand on Monday, had earlier said that the “temporary additional security screening measures” may cause passengers some delays.

The back-and-forth comes at a time a diplomatic crisis plagues India-Canada ties after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused “agents” of Delhi of being involved” in the killing of Khalistani terrorist and Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar killing in Vancouver in June last year. He claimed “credible information” had been shared with intelligence partners, including the US.

The Canadian government expelled Indian diplomats and in a tit-for-tat move, New Delhi expelled Canadian Charge d’Affaires Stewart Wheeler and five other diplomats.

“I think it is obvious the Government of India made a fundamental error in thinking they could engage in supporting criminal activity against Canadians, here on Canadian soil. Whether it be murders or extortion or other violent acts, it is absolutely unacceptable,” Mr Trudeau said.

Nijjar – the mastermind behind banned terror outfit Khalistan Tiger Force – was on Delhi’s list of ‘most wanted’ terrorists for multiple crimes, including the murder of Hindu priest in Punjab. Anti-terror agency NIA had offered a Rs 10 lakh reward for information leading to his capture.

On Thursday, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said a Canadian report claiming Prime Minister Narendra Modi was aware of the plot to kill Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was a “smear campaign”. A day later, the Canadian government called the Globe and Mail report “speculative and inaccurate”.

“On October 14th, because of a significant and ongoing threat to public safety, the RCMP and officials took the extraordinary step of making public accusations of serious criminal activity in Canada perpetrated by agents of the Government of India. The Government of Canada has not stated, nor is it aware of the evidence, linking Prime Minister Modi, Minister Jaishankar, or NSA Doval to the serious criminal activity within Canada,” the statement read.

New Delhi:

India on Wednesday strongly trashed as “smear campaign” a Canadian media report that claimed that the Indian prime minister was aware of the alleged plot to kill Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Referring to the report quoting an unnamed official, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said such “ludicrous statements” should be dismissed with the contempt they deserve.

“We do not normally comment on media reports. However, such ludicrous statements made to a newspaper purportedly by a Canadian government source should be dismissed with the contempt they deserve,” he said.

“Smear campaigns like this only further damage our already strained ties,” he said.

Jaiswal was responding to media queries regarding the report in Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail.

In the report, the newspaper cited inputs from a senior national security official.

The report claimed the Indian national security advisor and the external affairs minister were also in the loop of the plot.

Nijjar was gunned down on Canadian soil last year.

India-Canada ties nosedived last month after Canada linked Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Verma and some other diplomats to the murder.

India has strongly rejected all the allegations made by Ottawa in connection to the case and subsequently recalled the high commissioner. The Canadian government had said the Indian diplomats were expelled from the country.

New Delhi expelled Canadian Charge d’Affaires Stewart Wheeler and five other diplomats following Canada’s allegations.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

India will follow up a November 10 request to Canada to extradite terrorist Arshdeep Gill, alias Arsh Dalla, the de facto chief of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

In a statement on X, the ministry said a court in Canada’s Ontario had listed its extradition request for hearing and that it had sent separate requests to verify financial details as provided last year.

The ministry labelled Dalla a “proclaimed offender” named in over 50 cases of murder, attempt to murder, extortion and terrorist acts, including terror financing. He was designated a ‘terrorist’ in January last year and is also an accused in multiple cases filed by the National Investigation Agency.

Delhi also believes Dalla has taken over the reins of the Khalistani terror outfit after Hardeep Nijjar was shot dead. The June 2023 killing of Nijjar – a Canadian citizen – has led to a diplomatic row with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declaring – without proof – that “agents” of India were involved in the murder.

Our response to media queries regarding the arrest of a designated terrorist in Canada:https://t.co/c6CasRuteb pic.twitter.com/XfH4S5UzUr

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) November 14, 2024

Canada has refused earlier requests by India to hand over Dalla.

Dalla was arrested in Canada’s Halton last month after they were injured in an attack by unknown shooters. Dalla was injured and sought treatment at a local hospital that alerted the cops. The police searched their vehicle – a grey Dodge Durango – and found bullet marks on the SUV, and also found two bullet casings on the floor of the passenger’s seat, suggesting Dalla and Singh also fired back.

READ | Arshdeep Dalla, Hardeep Nijjar’s Aide, Detained In Canada: Sources

A day later, Dalla’s house was searched and a Taurus 9mm handgun, with a loaded magazine, was recovered, as also a rifle, a shotgun, and two high-capacity magazines in a gun safe.

READ | How Gunfight In Canada Led To Khalistani Terrorist Dalla’s Arrest

Dalla and the associate, Gurjant Singh, were arrested and await bail hearings.

Who Is Arsh Dalla?

Dalla is from Moga in Punjab.

A known aide of Nijjar, Dalla is credited with orchestrating multiple targeted killings through a grid of sleeper cell assassins. Among the more high-profile victims of his murderous network was Manohar Lal, a member of the Gurmeet Ram Rahim-led Dera Sacha Sauda in November 2020.

Experts believe Dalla’s sleeper cell network spans three continents – Canada and the United States in North America, parts of Europe, and Dubai, the Philippines and Thailand in Asia.

Sources have told NDTV his vast criminal operation may also be supported by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence, or ISI, as he is known to be involved in smuggling guns across the Pakistan border.

These are smuggled to Punjab via drone drops. There are also unconfirmed reports of terrorist acts in collaboration with another banned terrorist outfit, the Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Dalla-Bishnoi Rivalry

Dalla’s criminal network is believed to have a long-standing rivalry with that led by gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who, incredibly, runs his vast syndicate from a jail in Punjab.

The Bishnoi gang shot to focus after the 2022 murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala, and made headlines in April this year after a firing incident outside Bollywood star Salman Khan’s Mumbai home.

READ | “Bishnoi Gang Linked To Indian Government Agents”: Canada’s Claim

The gang also assassinated Maharashtra politician Baba Siddique last month, and was named by Canadian authorities in unsubstantiated allegations against India in connection with Nijjar’s killing.

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Days after the attack on a Hindu temple in Canada’s Brampton, the Minister of External Affairs announced the cancellation of consular camps in Toronto over security issues.

Consular camps are routine operations organized by the Indian diplomatic missions in Canada, including the High Commission in Ottawa and the Consulates in Vancouver and Toronto, to assist Indian nationals with various services, such as life certificates.

MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal today said, “You would have seen the message posted by our consulate in Toronto that they had to cancel the consular camp they were planning to organize over the weekend because they did not receive adequate security or security assurance from the host government.” 

“That was the reason these consular camps had to be cancelled. As you know, we have a large diaspora in Canada. Many of these people, especially around November and December, need several documents for the continuation of their pensions and other activities here in India. So, this consular camp we do is helpful to the community, to both people of Indian nationality and people of Indian origin who may now be nationals of other countries,” Mr Jaiswal said.

The Consulate General of India in Toronto earlier said, “In view of the security agencies conveying their inability to provide minimum security protection to the community camp organizers, the Consulate has decided to cancel some of the scheduled consular camps.”

In view of the security agencies conveying their inability to provide minimum security protection to the community camp organizers, Consulate has decided to cancel some of the scheduled consular camps.@HCI_Ottawa @MEAIndia

— IndiainToronto (@IndiainToronto) November 7, 2024

Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly condemned the “deliberate attack on a Hindu temple in Canada” – referring to a shocking incident last week when men breached the gates of a temple in Brampton, Ontario, while the Indian High Commission held a consular camp.

Read more: “Cowardly Attempts To Intimidate Diplomats”: PM’s 1st Comments On Canada Row

The PM also criticised “cowardly attempts” to intimidate Indian diplomats in that country.

Shortly after the attack on the temple, the Indian High Commission in Ottawa said a consular camp was disrupted. 

PRESS RELEASE

“Violent disruption outside consular camp in Brampton, Ontario (Nov 3)”@MEAIndia @IndianDiplomacy @diaspora_india @cgivancouver @IndiainToronto pic.twitter.com/V7QNMmA4eR

— India in Canada (@HCI_Ottawa) November 4, 2024

“We have seen violent disruption today (Nov 3) orchestrated by anti-India elements outside the consular camp. Co-organized with the Hindu Sabha Mandir, Brampton, near Toronto. It is deeply disappointing to see such disruptions being allowed for routine consular work being organized by our Consulates with the fullest cooperation of local co-organizers. We also remain very concerned for the safety of applicants, including Indian nationals, on whose demand such events are organized in the first place,” it added.

“Despite these efforts by anti-India elements, our Consulate was able to issue more than 1000 life certificates to the Indian and Canadian applicants. There were also attempts to disrupt similar camps held in Vancouver and Surrey on Nov 2-3,” the High Commission said.

“In case any camp is infeasible to be held due to such disruptions, alternative arrangements will be made to render those services, which may unfortunately inconvenience local users of these services,” the High Commission said.

New Delhi:

The Justin Trudeau-led Canadian government’s latest action suggests it has started treating India as an enemy country. India has been added to a list of enemy nations in terms of cyber security and has been labelled a ‘cyber adversary’. New Delhi today called it another Canadian strategy to attack and malign India internationally.

In a press conference today, the Ministry of External Affairs also said that under Trudeau’s administration, senior Canadian officials have openly confessed that Canada is seeking to manipulate global opinions against India. The foreign ministry also said that like other instances, these allegations in their cyber security report are made without a shred of evidence.

“We see this as another Canadian strategy to attack and malign India. Their senior officials have openly confessed that Canada is seeking to manipulate global opinions against India. As on other occasions, allegations are made repeatedly without a shred of evidence,” Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said at a press conference in New Delhi today.

WHAT CANADA ALLEGED

In its most recent report about cyber security, titled ‘National Cyber Threat Assessment 2025-2026’, the Government of Canada has called India a “cyber adversary”.

In the report it claimed that, “India’s leadership almost certainly aspires to build a modernized cyber program with domestic cyber capabilities. India very likely uses its cyber program to advance its national security imperatives, including espionage, counter-terrorism, and the country’s efforts to promote its global status and counter narratives against India and the Indian government. We assess that India’s cyber program likely leverages commercial cyber vendors to enhance its operations.”

It further claimed that “We assess that Indian state-sponsored cyber threat actors likely conduct cyber threat activity against Government of Canada networks for the purpose of espionage. We judge that official bilateral relations between Canada and India will very likely drive Indian state-sponsored cyber threat activity against Canada.”

The report also claimed that “countries that aspire to become new centres of power within the global system, such as India, are building cyber programs that present varying levels of threat to Canada.

Canada made these claims under ‘Section 1’ of its cyber security report titled ‘Cyber Threat From State Adversaries’ which it says “introduces the state cyber threat ecosystem and discusses the cyber threats to Canada.”

India has been added to the list of enemy countries which include China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

CANADA HARASSES INDIAN DIPLOMATIC STAFF

The Justin Trudeau-led Canada government has started violating all established international diplomatic norms in its hateful and spiteful pursuit malign India in order to cater to its domestic political motives and objectives. Diplomats and other Indian mission staff are being kept under round-the-clock surveillance and are even being intimidated routinely.

In a move that highlights its double-standards, Justin Trudeau’s administration, which harps on a “rules-based” order has itself not being following any established rules, diplomatic norms and practices.

India today called out Canada for indulging in such illegal activity to harass and intimidate Indian officials in diplomatic missions. New Delhi has called such surveillance activity a “flagrant violation of relevant diplomatic and consular conventions”.

The foreign ministry also said that by citing technicalities the Canadian government cannot justify that it is indulging in harassment and intimidation.

In its official statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said, “Some of our officials have recently been informed by the Canadian government that they have been, and continue to be under audio and visual surveillance. Their communications have also been intercepted.”

It added that “New Delhi has formally protested to the Indian government as we deem these actions to be a flagrant violation of relevant diplomatic and consular conventions. By citing technicalities the Canadian government cannot justify that it is indulging in harassment and intimidation.”

The foreign ministry concluded by saying that “Our diplomatic and consular persons are already functioning in an environment of extremism and violence. This action of the Canadian government aggravates the situation and is incompatible with established diplomatic norms and practices.”

India and Canada are currently in the midst of the worst-ever diplomatic spat between the two nations. India has blamed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alone for the fallout between the two countries. Mr Trudeau has openly been supporting terrorism, extremism, separatism and violence against India by personally and politically being a part of the Khalistani narrative. He has been seen at Khalistani rallies and hate speeches against India. Mr Trudeau is dependent on this vote bank for his political gains.
 

New Delhi:

The Justin Trudeau-led Canadian government’s latest action suggests it has started treating India as an enemy country. India has been added to a list of enemy nations in terms of cyber security and has been labelled a ‘cyber adversary’. New Delhi today called it another Canadian strategy to attack and malign India internationally.

In a press conference today, the Ministry of External Affairs also said that under Trudeau’s administration, senior Canadian officials have openly confessed that Canada is seeking to manipulate global opinions against India. The foreign ministry also said that like other instances, these allegations in their cyber security report are made without a shred of evidence.

“We see this as another Canadian strategy to attack and malign India. Their senior officials have openly confessed that Canada is seeking to manipulate global opinions against India. As on other occasions, allegations are made repeatedly without a shred of evidence,” Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said at a press conference in New Delhi today.

WHAT CANADA ALLEGED

In its most recent report about cyber security, titled ‘National Cyber Threat Assessment 2025-2026’, the Government of Canada has called India a “cyber adversary”.

In the report it claimed that, “India’s leadership almost certainly aspires to build a modernized cyber program with domestic cyber capabilities. India very likely uses its cyber program to advance its national security imperatives, including espionage, counter-terrorism, and the country’s efforts to promote its global status and counter narratives against India and the Indian government. We assess that India’s cyber program likely leverages commercial cyber vendors to enhance its operations.”

It further claimed that “We assess that Indian state-sponsored cyber threat actors likely conduct cyber threat activity against Government of Canada networks for the purpose of espionage. We judge that official bilateral relations between Canada and India will very likely drive Indian state-sponsored cyber threat activity against Canada.”

The report also claimed that “countries that aspire to become new centres of power within the global system, such as India, are building cyber programs that present varying levels of threat to Canada.

Canada made these claims under ‘Section 1’ of its cyber security report titled ‘Cyber Threat From State Adversaries’ which it says “introduces the state cyber threat ecosystem and discusses the cyber threats to Canada.”

India has been added to the list of enemy countries which include China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

CANADA HARASSES INDIAN DIPLOMATIC STAFF

The Justin Trudeau-led Canada government has started violating all established international diplomatic norms in its hateful and spiteful pursuit malign India in order to cater to its domestic political motives and objectives. Diplomats and other Indian mission staff are being kept under round-the-clock surveillance and are even being intimidated routinely.

In a move that highlights its double-standards, Justin Trudeau’s administration, which harps on a “rules-based” order has itself not being following any established rules, diplomatic norms and practices.

India today called out Canada for indulging in such illegal activity to harass and intimidate Indian officials in diplomatic missions. New Delhi has called such surveillance activity a “flagrant violation of relevant diplomatic and consular conventions”.

The foreign ministry also said that by citing technicalities the Canadian government cannot justify that it is indulging in harassment and intimidation.

In its official statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said, “Some of our officials have recently been informed by the Canadian government that they have been, and continue to be under audio and visual surveillance. Their communications have also been intercepted.”

It added that “New Delhi has formally protested to the Indian government as we deem these actions to be a flagrant violation of relevant diplomatic and consular conventions. By citing technicalities the Canadian government cannot justify that it is indulging in harassment and intimidation.”

The foreign ministry concluded by saying that “Our diplomatic and consular persons are already functioning in an environment of extremism and violence. This action of the Canadian government aggravates the situation and is incompatible with established diplomatic norms and practices.”

India and Canada are currently in the midst of the worst-ever diplomatic spat between the two nations. India has blamed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alone for the fallout between the two countries. Mr Trudeau has openly been supporting terrorism, extremism, separatism and violence against India by personally and politically being a part of the Khalistani narrative. He has been seen at Khalistani rallies and hate speeches against India. Mr Trudeau is dependent on this vote bank for his political gains.
 

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar during an event titled ‘Emerging Opportunities in the Present Global Scenario’, in Pune, Maharashtra.
| Photo Credit: PTI

“India first raised the presence of organised crime in Canada but the issue was ignored because of a permissive atmosphere for a long time,” External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar said on Saturday (October 26, 2024), rejecting the targeting of its High Commissioner and diplomats by the Mr. Trudeau government.

Speaking at an event in Pune on the subject ‘Emerging Opportunities in the Present Global Scenario’, the diplomat-turned-politician said India will obviously take a tough position, which has been taken when its national interest, integrity and sovereignty are concerned.

“We completely reject the manner in which the Canadian Government targeted our High Commissioner and diplomats,” Mr. Jaishankar said in response to a question.

Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Verma was declared a “person of interest” by Canada on October 13, 2024 in its investigation into the June 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen who has been declared a Khalistani terrorist by India.

Before Canada could take further action, New Delhi recalled Mr. Verma and five other diplomats, who were also similarly named.

In response, India also expelled six Canadian diplomats. The diplomatic row escalated further with Ottawa hinting at possible sanctions against India, which has trashed the allegations, including those levelled by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The Canadian authorities also accused Indian agents of involvement in “homicides, extortion and violent acts targeting pro-Khalistan supporters and even attempted to link the Bishnoi gang to unspecified criminal activities on Canadian soil.”

“The issue is that there is a small minority of people over there but they have made themselves into what appears to be a bigger political voice,” he said.

“Unfortunately, the politics of that country is giving that political lobby, perhaps a degree of play which I would argue is not just bad for us and our relationship. I would argue it is bad for Canada itself,” Jaishankar said.

He said India first raised the presence of organised crime in Canada.

“We were telling them and they were not listening. It is happening because of a permissive atmosphere for a long time. I think this is an issue with a particular political phase or set of political forces. We would certainly hope that more sensible, more sober, more responsible asserts itself,” Mr. Jaishankar added.

Speaking about the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war, he said it’s been three years now.

“How many countries in the world had the capability to visit Moscow and meet Vladimir Putin as well as visit Ukraine to meet (President Volodymyr) Zelenskyy? The world thinks that India has this ability. India stood up and spoke about the issue,” the External Affairs Minister said.

He also said countries with the best human resources will be the most powerful ones in the future. It was during India’s presidency of the G20 that the African Union was admitted as a member of the G20.

New Delhi:

The Indian High Commissioner to Canada who was targeted by Justin Trudeau and has since been recalled by New Delhi reiterated today that “not a shred of evidence was shared” with him by the Canadian authorities who labelled him and five other diplomats as ‘persons of interest’ in the murder investigation of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Speaking exclusively to NDTV in his first interview since his return to India, Mr Verma said that it was in fact India which had shared detailed evidence of radical and extremist groups operating on Canadian soil with the Justin Trudeau government, but “no action was taken on it” by either the government or the authorities.

“Besides the evidence shared with Canada, New Delhi, through its High Commission, also repeatedly sent extradition requests for 26 radical elements and gangsters, but nothing was done about it by the,” he said, adding that it is purely “double standards” by Canada, that “one law applies to you and another law applies to me, that doesn’t work in the world anymore. In the past countries of the Global South would do as was told to them by the developed nations, but gone are those days,” he said.

OUT OF THE BLUE

He revealed that in his last meeting with the Canadian authorities, it came as a surprise to him when he was informed by them that he and five other colleagues were now labelled “persons of interest” in the murder investigation and that they should “ask the Indian government to remove their diplomatic immunity”.

“Throughout my tenure (as High Commissioner of Canada), my relations with all the ministries and with interlocutors were very cordial, But on October 12, all of a sudden, in a meeting with Canadian foreign ministry, I was informed that six of us were being linked to the murder investigation and for them to interrogate us, our diplomatic immunity has to be removed.”

“Now that was going too far,” he told NDTV, adding that he communicated this to New Delhi, which then decided to recall him and the other diplomats.

‘DECLARED PERSONA NON GRATA’

“When the Government of India withdrew us, they (Canadian government) decided to label us as ‘persona non grata’ and be sent packing within a given timeline.”

This is the first time in India’s diplomatic history that any foreign ministry official or representative has been labeled a persona non grata, which means a person who is no longer welcomed, and in diplomacy, if the person concerned is not recalled by the home country as requested, the host state may refuse to recognize the person concerned as a member of the diplomatic mission – meaning their immunity ends.

Canada is considered a friendly country to India, but “Even in the case of Pakistan, where we have had known differences for decades, the last high commissioner to be recalled by New Delhi, my predecessor in Canada, Mr Ajay Bisaria, he remained a high commissioner who was called back and remained the then High Commissioner of Pakistan, even though he stopped residing in Pakistan.”

‘TRUDEAU’S CLAIMS WON’T STAND IN COURT’

“Not a shred of evidence has been shared with us (India). If they are calling intelligence inputs or source-based claims as ‘evidence’, then that will not stand in a court of law – not in their country, nor in ours,” Mr Verma said.

What the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or RCMP said, and something that Trudeau said as well during his deposition to the court of inquiry on foreign interference, was that they do not have any proof or evidence, but rather intelligence inputs from sources – which is just hearsay.

“That is quite funny,” said Mr Verma, adding that “what they have done is actually quite serious. As far as I understand most of the things they are calling evidence is just hearsay and source-based claims, and let’s not forget that there are many India baiters there who are ready to give false statements against India or Indians, which could then be considered single sourced information.”

COLLECTING INFORMATION – JOB OF A DIPLOMAT

Collecting information is a key part of a diplomats job. Explaining this, Mr Verma said, “Let me break this down for you. There are two ways in which information is collected by a diplomat – an overt way, which is through the open source, and a covert way. I can confirm to you here that yes, we depended on the information we got through open sources – the overt way.”

“We collect information about banned organisations, radicals, extremists, etc from what is available through the news, through social media. So we did that, and we did the analysis based on the credible information we collected,” he explained.

“And the trend seen in the analysis we made was very clear. They want to sabotage and destroy Canada India relations. They want India’s image to be maligned internationally.

‘JUSTIN TRUDEAU PERSONALLY INVOLVED’

“One thing is quite openly seen and known – that Mr Trudeau himself is known to be very close to the Khalistani extremists and terrorists, especially politically. Through his close circles, both in his cabinet and in the Canadian Parliament, some of his close friends are not quite inclined towards good Canada-India relations,” Mr Verma said.

“I do not want to comment on the domestic politics in Canada, but what I have seen, heard and read in the media, is that his party is not doing well. The opinion polls are not in his favour, and most of all, Mr Trudeau’s leadership is threatened even within party,” Mr Verma added.

‘KHALISTAN EXTREMISM A BUSINESS’

Explaining the way the Khalistan separatism works, Mr Verma said that “It is a business, because the money collected by these extremists and radicals through extortion and other illegal means, they use it in a continuous effort to destabilaze India and at the same time fund their personal, lavish lifestyles.”

“So, if I am trying to give evidence of their illegal activities and try to shut down their business, then I become a subject of their target. And that is precisely what was seen when they openly threatened and targeted Indian diplomats in Canada,” Mr Verma highlighted.

He went on to say that it is not just diplomats, “Our prime minister and home minister have been threatened, diplomats targeted. Some other examples are that effigies of Indian diplomats, including myself were burnt as Ravana, Cut outs of my face was made the target for shooting practice, and several other instances.”

“You will not see such things happen so openly,” and with support from the government “in any civil society,” he said.

The diplomat further said that “When you show a bullet-ridden effigy of a former prime minister of the largest democracy, one that is your ally, with the images of her assassination and you cheer it openly then it is hate speech, not free speech.”
 

File image of Vikash Yadav, released by the United States Department of Justice.

U.S. prosecutors accused a former Indian government employee of directing a foiled plot to kill pro-Khalistan separatist figure Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in a case that has disrupted the India-US relations and mirrors a 2023 killing in Canada.

The accused Vikash Yadav was identified thus far as CC-1, in the original indictment filed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) in 2023. This comes almost 11 months after the first U.S. indictment uncovering the alleged plot.

Another Indian, Nikhil Gupta, was charged last year and is currently being detained in Brooklyn, following his arrest in the Czech Republic last year. Mr. Yadav, it is alleged, had recruited Mr. Gupta to find a hitman and have Pannun killed.

Also Read: U.S. charges Indian citizen Vikash Yadav, aka ‘CC-1’ in murder-for-hire plot against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun

Who is Vikash Yadav?

On Friday, U.S. prosecutors in New York announced the “filing of murder-for-hire and money laundering charges against Indian government employee Vikash Yadav, a/k/a “Vikas,” a/k/a “Amanat,” in connection with his role in directing a foiled plot to assassinate a U.S. citizen in New York City.

According to the Sealed Superseding Indictment of the United States District Court, Mr. Yadav was employed by the Cabinet Secretariat of the Government of India, which houses India’s foreign intelligence service, the Research and Analysis Wing (“R&AW”). Mr. Yadav has described his position as a “Senior Field Officer” with responsibilities in “Security Management” and “Intelligence.” He also has served in India’s largest paramilitary force – Central Reserve Police Force.

As per a ‘wanted’ notice issued by the FBI, Mr. Yadav was born in Haryana in 1984 and used “Amanat” as an alias when communicating with his co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, to facilitate the murder plot. He was an “Assistant Commandant,” at the CRPF with command of a 135-man company.

The DoJ document alleges Mr. Yadav provided information, such as the victim’s residential addresses, phone numbers, and other identifying information, to the Indian national in furtherance of the plot”.

The MEA has said that “the individual named in the U.S. indictment in Pannun case” is no longer an employee of the Indian government. “The U.S. State Department informed us that the individual mentioned in the indictment is no longer employed by India. I confirm that he is no longer an employee of the Government of India,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal announced at a press briefing.

Also Read: Pannun case: Unwarranted, unsubstantiated imputations, says India on media report

What is the Gurpatwant Singh Pannun murder plot? 

U.S. authorities believe the alleged plot to kill pro-Khalistani Sikh separatist, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who is wanted on terror charges in India, was ordered by the previous chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), and had official sanction from senior intelligence officials with “with ties to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s inner circle”, the Washington Post, a U.S.-national daily, reported.

The Pannun murder plot involves a foiled assassination attempt targeting Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a vocal critic of the Indian government and advocate for a separate Sikh state, Khalistan. Pannun, a dual U.S.-Canadian citizen, was allegedly targeted by Indian intelligence in a murder-for-hire plot. U.S. authorities charged Vikash Yadav, a former Indian intelligence official, with orchestrating the plan. According to the indictment, Mr. Yadav collaborated with other Indian agents to execute the plot in New York City in 2023.

The indictment alleges that Mr. Yadav along with his co-conspirator Nikhil Gupta plotted to kill the Sikh separatist leader . For this Mr. Gupta hired an individual to do the job. The unidentified individual, who was an informant to the FBI, asked for $100,000 for the job and received $15,000 as an advance payment on June 9, 2023.

What is the role of Vikash Yadav in the Nijjar killing? 

Relations between India and Canada have been under a severe strain since September last year, when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told his Parliament that there was evidence linking Indian agents to the assassination of Nijjar, a Sikh separatist who was shot dead in Surrey, Canada in June 2023.

The indictment reveals that there was a link between the murder of Sikh separatist Nijjar in Canada during the same period. Federal prosecutors have shared communications between Mr. Yadav, Mr. Gupta and the alleged killer in the two incidents.

Also Read: Who was Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Sikh activist whose killing has divided Canada and India?

While Mr. Gupta was arrested, Mr. Yadav remains at large, and the investigation continues amidst tense geopolitical relations between India and Canada.