Ottawa: Four Indian nationals accused in the assassination of Khalistan advocate Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year in Surrey were directed by a Canadian judiciary to refrain from engaging with specific individuals within the community. This decree coincided with their inaugural collective courtroom appearance in a case that has significantly strained diplomatic relations between India and Canada.
Three of the defendants, Karan Brar (22), Kamalpreet Singh (22), and Karanpreet Singh (28), appeared in person before the British Columbia Provincial Court in Surrey. The fourth defendant, Amandeep Singh (22), participated via video link from Ontario, where he remains detained on unrelated arms charges predating his arrest on May 10 for Nijjar’s homicide.
Judge Mark Jette communicated through an interpreter as he imposed the non-contact directive, subsequently adjourning the proceedings until June 25, according to CBC News. Prosecutor Marcel Daigle indicated that the interlude would permit the Crown to fulfill its obligation of evidentiary disclosure to the defense attorneys. The defendants, clad in red penitentiary garb, were ushered into the courtroom.
Richard Fowler, representing Karan Brar, remarked to the Vancouver Sun, “Given the context, it’s entirely understandable why there is immense community interest in this case. Such a degree of public scrutiny underscores the necessity for a fair trial for those accused.”
At the recent hearing, attendees underwent searches before entering the courthouse, while Nijjar’s supporters conducted a protest outside. Security personnel collected attendees’ mobile phones, placing them in plastic bags and storing them in bins outside the courtroom. The judge admonished the audience that recording audio or capturing images was prohibited, the report stated. Nijjar, 45, met his demise outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023.
Diplomatic tensions between India and Canada escalated following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations in September of last year regarding the “potential” involvement of Indian operatives in Nijjar’s assassination. India has categorically rejected Trudeau’s accusations as “preposterous” and “motivated.” Nijjar, a proponent of Khalistani separatism, was sought in India on multiple terrorism charges.
India has consistently emphasized that its primary grievance with Canada lies in the sanctuary afforded to separatists, terrorists, and anti-India factions. In response to Trudeau’s allegations, India temporarily halted visa issuance to Canadian nationals, a service which was reinstated several weeks later.