The former Indian high commissioner to Canada has firmly denied any involvement in the murder of a Canadian Sikh leader in British Columbia, despite being named as a person of interest by the Canadian government. Sanjay Kumar Verma, who was expelled alongside five other Indian diplomats recently, dismissed the allegations as politically motivated during an interview on CTV’s Question Period.
Verma refuted any role in the shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed outside a cultural centre in Surrey on June 18, 2023, stating that no evidence had been presented to link him to the crime. Four Indian nationals residing in Canada have been charged with Nijjar’s murder and are awaiting trial.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police have publicly accused Indian diplomats of targeting Sikh separatists in Canada by sharing information with the Indian government, leading to violent actions against activists in Canada. Verma, however, has denied these allegations and emphasised that any actions taken by Indian officials were overt.
While condemning Nijjar’s death and categorically denying any involvement in criminal activities in Canada, Verma challenged Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly’s remarks comparing India to Russia. He demanded concrete evidence to support such claims and labelled them as politically motivated.
India has rejected the Canadian accusations as baseless and retaliated by expelling Canada’s acting high commissioner and five other diplomats. Verma highlighted the lack of evidence shared by Canada to substantiate the allegations, noting that attempts to provide evidence to Indian officials were unsuccessful due to visa issues.
The strained relations between India and Canada over the Nijjar case have not impacted non-political bilateral ties, according to Verma, who remains optimistic about the future of business relations between the two countries. The incident has drawn attention to tensions surrounding the Khalistan movement, which seeks an independent Sikh state in India and has support among the Sikh diaspora, particularly in Canada.
In a separate development, the US Justice Department unveiled criminal charges against an Indian government employee in connection to an alleged plot to assassinate a Sikh separatist leader in New York City. Verma emphasised that an indictment does not equate to a conviction and underscored the importance of due judicial process.
As the investigations into these incidents unfold, the complexities of international relations and the implications for diaspora communities continue to be scrutinised, highlighting the delicate balance between political interests and justice on a global scale.