Fourth Indian arrested in Canada for his suspected role in Nijjar's murder

A fourth Indian national has been arrested by Canadian authorities in connection with Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjars murder in this country a week after police arrested three Indians linked with the highprofile case that has severely strained Indias relations with Canada reported news agency PTIAmardeep Singh 22 a resident of Brampton Surrey and Abbotsford areas of Canada has been charged with firstdegree murder and conspiracy to commit murder reported PTINijjar 45 was killed outside Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey British Columbia on June 18 2023The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team IHIT of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP said that Singh was arrested on May 11 for his role in Hardeep Singh Nijjars murder He was already in the custody of the Peel Regional Police for unrelated firearms charges the release said reported PTIThis arrest shows the nature of our ongoing investigation to hold responsible those that played a role in the homicide of Hardeep Singh Nijjar said Superintendent Mandeep Mooker the Officer in Charge of IHIT reported PTIIHIT pursued the evidence and gained sufficient information for the British Columbia Prosecution Service to charge Amandeep Singh with firstdegree murder and conspiracy to commit murder the police statement said reported PTIInvestigators said no further details of the arrest can be released due to ongoing investigations and court processesIHIT investigators on May 3 arrested three Indian nationals Karan Brar 22 Kamalpreet Singh 22 and 28yearold Karanpreet Singh for Hardeep Singh Nijjars murder reported PTIAll three individuals are Indian nationals living in Edmonton and have been charged with firstdegree murder and conspiracy to commit murderThe ties between India and Canada came under severe strain following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus allegations in September last year of the potential involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Nijjar reported PTIIndia has dismissed Trudeaus charges as absurd and motivatedNijjar was a Khalistani separatist and he was wanted in India on various terror charges reported PTIDays after Trudeaus allegations India asked Ottawa to downsize its diplomatic presence in the country to ensure parity Subsequently Canada withdrew 41 diplomats and their family members from India reported PTIIndia has been asserting that its core issue with Canada remained that of the space given to separatists terrorists and antiIndia elements in that countryFollowing Trudeaus allegations last year India temporarily suspended the issuance of visas to Canadian citizens The visa services were resumed several weeks laterExternal Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that by allowing political space to Khalistani separatist elements the Canadian government is sending a message that its vote bank is more powerful than its rule of law reported PTIIn an exclusive interview to PTI on Thursday Jaishankar said India respects and practices freedom of speech but that does not equate with freedom to threaten foreign diplomats extend support to separatism or allow political space to elements advocating violenceHe also wondered how people with dubious backgrounds are being allowed to enter and live in Canada referring to Khalistani supporters among the Sikh migrants from PunjabIn any rulebased society you would imagine that you would check peoples background how they came what passports they carried etc he said reported PTIIf you have people whose presence there was itself on very dubious documents what does it say about you It actually says that your vote bank actually is more powerful than your rule of law Jaishankar said reported PTIWith inputs from PTI