Expelled Indian high commissioner denies involvement in murder of Sikh leader in Canada

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — 

India's precocious commissioner to Canada has denied immoderate engagement successful the execution of a Canadian Sikh person who was killed successful British Columbia past twelvemonth adjacent though the Canadian authorities has named him arsenic a idiosyncratic of involvement successful the assassination.

Sanjay Kumar Verma, who was expelled past Monday on with 5 different Indian diplomats, said successful an interrogation connected CTV's Question Period Sunday that the allegations are politically motivated.

"Nothing astatine all," Verma said erstwhile asked if helium had immoderate relation successful in the shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar who was killed extracurricular a taste halfway successful Surrey, British Columbia connected June 18, 2023. "No grounds presented. Politically motivated."

Four Indian nationals surviving successful Canada were charged with Nijjar's execution and are awaiting trial.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police went nationalist with allegations that Indian diplomats were targeting Sikh separatists successful Canada by sharing accusation astir them with their authorities backmost home. They said apical Indian officials were past passing that accusation to Indian organized transgression groups who were targeting the activists, who are Canadian citizens, with drive-by shootings, extortions and adjacent murder.

Verma denied the Indian authorities was targeting Sikh separatists successful Canada.

"I, arsenic precocious commissioner of India, person ne'er done thing of that kind," helium said.

Any enactment taken by Indian officials successful Canada was "overt," said Verma.

In the interrogation Verma condemned Nijjar's death.

"Any execution is incorrect and bad," helium said. "I bash condemn."

Verma besides pushed backmost connected comments made by Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly that compared India to Russia. She said Canada's nationalist constabulary unit has linked Indian diplomats to homicides, decease threats and intimidation successful Canada.

"Let maine spot the factual grounds she's talking about," said Verma. "As acold arsenic I'm concerned, she's talking politically."

India has rejected the Canadian accusations arsenic absurd, and its overseas ministry said it was expelling Canada's acting precocious commissioner and 5 different diplomats successful response.

Verma said "not a shred of grounds has been shared with us" astir the Canadian allegations.

The RCMP has said attempts earlier this period to stock grounds with Indian officials were unsuccessful.

Verma said the RCMP had not applied for the due visas to sojourn India.

"A visa needs to beryllium affixed," helium said. "For immoderate authorities delegation to question to different country, you request an docket to spell by. There was nary docket astatine all."

Canada is not the lone state that has accused Indian officials of plotting an assassination connected overseas soil. The U.S. Justice Department announced transgression charges against an Indian authorities worker Thursday successful transportation with an alleged foiled crippled to termination a Sikh separatist person surviving successful New York City.

In the lawsuit announced by the Justice Department, Vikash Yadav, who authorities accidental directed the New York crippled from India, faces murder-for-hire charges successful a planned sidesplitting that prosecutors person antecedently said was meant to precede a drawstring of different politically motivated murders successful the United States and Canada.

"An indictment is not a conviction," Verma said. "It volition travel its judicial process."

India has repeatedly criticized the Canadian authorities for being brushed connected supporters of what is known arsenic the Khalistan movement, which is banned successful India but has enactment among the Sikh diaspora, peculiarly successful Canada.

The Khalistan question supports the constitution of an autarkic Sikh authorities successful India.

The Nijjar sidesplitting successful Canada has soured India-Canada ties for much than a year, but Verma doesn't expect this volition interaction concern relations betwixt the 2 countries.

"I don't spot overmuch interaction connected non-political bilateral relations," helium said.