Page 4 - Khalistan Issue

Canada yet to share any specific evidence or info on Nijjar case: MEA

India on Thursday said Canada has informed it about the arrest of three Indian citizens in the case of killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar but it has not provided any "specific" evidence or information in the matter yet. "Let me first make it clear that no specific or relevant evidence or information has been shared by the Canadian authorities till date," external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. "You will therefore understand our view that the matter is being pre-judged," he said at his weekly media briefing. Last week, Canadian authorities charged three Indian nationals with the murder of Nijjar. It is reported that they entered Canada on student visas. "Obviously, there are political interests at work. We have long maintained that separatists, extremists and those advocating violence have been given political space in Canada," Jaiswal said. "Our diplomats have been threatened with impunity and obstructed in their performance of duties," he .

Russian govt rubbishes US allegations implicating India in Pannun case

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is an India-designated terrorist who holds American and Canadian citizenship

Suspect in Nijjar killing says he entered Canada using 'study permit'

The accused, Karan Brar, in a video posted online in 2019, said he applied for a student visa through EthicWorks Immigration Services in Bathinda, in the Indian state of Punjab

3 Indians accused of killing Nijjar appear before Canadian court

Three Indian nationals accused of killing Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year appeared before a Canadian court on Tuesday through video for the first time on to face homicide charges as hundreds of local Khalistan supporters showed up at the courthouse. Karan Brar, 22, Kamalpreet Singh, 22, and Karanpreet Singh, 28, all Indian nationals residing in Edmonton, were arrested and charged on Friday with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. The three - believed to be members of an alleged hit squad - appeared before the Surrey Provincial Court in British Columbia province, the Vancouver Sun reported. Each of them appeared separately from North Fraser Pretrial Centre wearing jail-issued red T-shirts or sweatshirts and sweatpants. All three agreed to have the proceedings heard in English and each of them nodded that they understood the charges of first-degree murder and conspiring to murder Nijjar, the report said. Hundreds of local Khalistan supporters sho

Nijjar killing: Canadian foreign min stands by allegations against India

Ties between India and Canada have been strained after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused agents of the Indian government of killing Nijjar

Canada incidents mostly due to their internal politics: EAM Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said what is happening in poll-bound Canada over the killing of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar is mostly due to their internal politics and nothing to do with India. Jaishankar said this while replying to a question on why Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is criticizing India. While interacting with senior journalists during a visit here, he also said the country needs a strong and active Prime Minister like Narendra Modi in order to bring further reforms in various sectors to make a Viksit Bharat (developed India). India's image globally is now actually much much higher than it had been ever Canada is an exception. You see the different country heads are praising Bharat and its Prime Minister, the external affairs minister said. He said a section of pro-Khalistan people are using Canada's democracy, creating a lobby and have become a vote bank. The ruling party in Canada has no majority in Parliament and some par

India trying to influence Canadian politics over Khalistan concerns: Probe

Indian officials, including Canada-based proxies, engage in a range of activities that seek to influence Canadian communities and politicians to "align" Ottawa's position with New Delhi's interests on key issues, particularly concerns over Khalistani separatists in Canada, an official probe has found. The findings in the interim report by Commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue, who is leading the independent public inquiry, found evidence of foreign interference in Canada's last two federal elections in 2019 and 2021 but the results of the votes were not affected and the electoral system was robust. India has previously rejected as "baseless" the allegations of its interference in Canadian elections and asserted that the core issue has been Ottawa's meddling in New Delhi's internal affairs. The report, published on Friday said the People's Republic of China (PRC) stands out as the main perpetrator of foreign interference against Canada. "China has been assessed by Canadian authorities as t

Govt summons Canadian envoy on issue of Khalistani slogans at Trudeau event

India on Monday summoned the Canadian deputy high commissioner and lodged a strong protest over the raising of pro-Khalistan slogans at a public event in Toronto in the presence of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described the raising of the slogans at the event as "disturbing" and said it illustrated once again the political space that has been given in Canada to "separatism, extremism and violence". It said the actions not only impact India-Canada relations but also encourage a climate of violence and criminality in Canada to the detriment of its own citizens. "The Canadian deputy high commissioner was today summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs with regard to the raising of separatist slogans on 'Khalistan' at an event which was being personally addressed by the prime minister of Canada," the MEA said. "The Government of India's deep concern and strong protest was conveyed at such disturbing actions being allowed to continue unchecked

RAW official involved in plot to kill Sikh separatist leader Pannun: Report

A RAW official identified as Vikram Yadav was involved in the assassination plot of Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US and the move was approved by the then Indian spy agency chief Samant Goel, according to an investigative media report published on Monday. Pannun is one of the main leaders of the Khalistan movement and the legal advisor and spokesperson for Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), which aims to promote the idea of a separate Sikh state. The Indian government has declared Pannun a terrorist. In an investigative report, The Washington Post newspaper said, That India would pursue lethal operations in North America has stunned Western security officials. Yadav's identity and affiliation, which have not previously been reported, provide the most explicit evidence to date that the assassination plan ultimately thwarted by US authorities was directed from within the Indian spy service, the daily reported. Higher-ranking (Research and Analysis Wing) RAW officials

Amritpal Singh to contest LS polls from Khadoor Sahib as Independent

The Pro-Khalistani leader is currently lodged in Dibrugarh jail in Assam

'Won't get in the middle': US on 'India's hand in killings' claims by Pak

'We encourage both sides to avoid escalation and find a resolution through dialogue,' said US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller

US-India ties not damaged by Pannun murder plot probe: Eric Garcetti

The alleged plot, which US authorities said was thwarted, was revealed after an associate of Pannun was killed in Canada

Jail official held over gadgets seized from 'Waris Punjab De' inmates

The superintendent of Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam was arrested on Friday over the seizure of electronic gadgets, including a smartphone, from the possession of inmates belonging to radical outfit 'Waris Punjab De', police said. The jail official was arrested early in the morning for "laxity" and is currently at Dibrugarh Sadar Police Station, an officer said. He said the arrest was made in connection with the seizure of electronic gadgets cells of the National Security Act (NSA) detenues in the jail last month. Among the gadgets seized from the possession of the inmates belonging to the pro-Khalistani outfit were a smartphone along with a SIM card, a keypad phone, a TV remote with keyboard, a spy-camera pen, pen-drives, a bluetooth headphone and speakers. "Reference NSA Detenues at Dibrugarh Jail, Assam-On receipt of information about unauthorised activities taking place in NSA cell, additional CCTV cameras were installed in the public area of NSA block," Director General of ..

WB Police initiates action against Suvendu for alleged 'Khalistani' slur

The police condemned the unprovoked, unacceptable attack on an individual's religious identity and added that stern legal action is being initiated

India cooperating with Canada into Sikh separatist's killing probe: Ex-NSA

India is now cooperating with Canada in the ongoing probe into the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in British Columbia and bilateral ties are improving following months of tensions over the matter, a former Canadian national security advisor has said, describing the changing relationship as an evolution. The remarks by Canada's former national security advisor Jody Thomas came during an interview with CTV on Friday. She said India is now cooperating in the ongoing probe into the killing of Khalistani separatist and designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar's murder in June last year in the Canadian city of Surrey. This is the first time a Canadian official has acknowledged that India has moved things forward following allegations of non-cooperation against India by Canada amid tensions over Nijjar's killing. The relations between the two countries saw some bitterness last year following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegation about India's suspected involvement in th

Czech court rules murder suspect Nikhil Gupta can be extradited to US

A Czech high court has ruled that Indian national Nikhil Gupta, detained in a prison here on murder-for-hire charges in an alleged assassination attempt on a Khalistani extremist on American soil, can be extradited to the US, according to local media reports. Gupta, 52, was charged by US federal prosecutors in an indictment unsealed in November last year with working with an Indian government employee in an alleged plot to kill Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who holds dual US and Canadian citizenships, on American soil. Gupta, arrested in the Czech Republic on June 30 last year, is currently held in Prague's Pankrak prison. The Prague High Court confirmed in a closed session that Gupta can be extradited to the US, the Seznam.cz web portal reported on Friday. The Prague High Court's order came as it rejected Gupta's appeal against a December decision by a lower court that ruled that extradition was allowed. A spokesman for the Prague High Court declined to immediate

Designated terrorist Pannun issues fresh threats ahead of Republic Day

Designated terrorist, US based Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the founder of the banned Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), has issued fresh threats ahead of Republic Day

US judge denies Nikhil Gupta's request for defence materials in Pannun case

A US judge has denied a request for defence materials by Indian national Nikhil Gupta, charged by federal prosecutors in a murder-for-hire plot to kill a Khalistani separatist on American soil. United States District Judge Victor Marrero, in an order Thursday, denied a motion filed by Gupta's attorney seeking discovery material in the case. Gupta, 52, was charged by federal prosecutors here in an indictment unsealed in November last year with working with an Indian government employee in the foiled plot to kill Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who holds dual US and Canadian citizenships, on American soil. Gupta was arrested in Prague, the Czech Republic on June 30, 2023 and is being held there currently. The US government is seeking his extradition to America. In his order, Marrero said that the Court is persuaded by the government's argument that Gupta has no right to discovery at this time. He cited Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 16.1, which provides that no la

US objects to providing defence material to Nikhil Gupta in Pannun case

The US government has objected to providing defence materials to Indian national Nikhil Gupta, detained in a Czech prison on murder-for-hire charges in a foiled assassination attempt on a Khalistani extremist, saying it will provide the information only upon his appearance in a New York court and arraignment in the case. Gupta, 52, was charged by federal prosecutors here in an indictment unsealed in November last year with working with an Indian government employee in the foiled plot to kill Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who holds dual US and Canadian citizenships, on American soil. Gupta was arrested in Prague, the Czech Republic on June 30, 2023 and is being held there currently. The US government is seeking his extradition to America. Gupta's attorney filed a Motion to Compel Production of Discovery' on January 4 in the US District Court, Southern District of New York requesting the Court to direct federal prosecutors to provide the defence materials relevant to

Hindu Temple defaced with pro-Khalistan graffiti in California's Hayward

A Hindu temple in Hayward, California, has been defaced with pro-Khalistan graffiti. This incident at Sherawali Temple comes weeks after the Swaminarayan temple in Newark, California was defaced by anti-India graffiti.The Hindu American Foundation has reported that Sherawali Temple in California was defaced with pro-Khalistani graffiti. It has also shared a picture of the defacement.In a post shared on X, the Hindu American Foundation stated, "#Breaking: Another Bay Area Hindu temple attacked with pro-#Khalistan graffiti. The Vijay's Sherawali Temple in Hayward, CA sustained a copycat defacement just two weeks after the Swaminarayan Mandir attack and one week after a theft at the Shiv Durga temple in the same area. HAF is in touch with temple leaders and in contact with @AlamedaPD & @CivilRights."The Hindu American Foundation also highlighted the importance of installing working security cameras and alarm systems, considering the rising threat from Khalistan supporters.Taking to