Canadian Report Finds No Conclusive Evidence Linking India to Nijjar Killing

​​​​​​​The report's findings dispute Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's assertions that India was involved in the case.

A Canadian commission report has ruled that there is "no definitive link" between a "foreign state" and the assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

The report's findings dispute Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's assertions that India was involved in the case.

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The prime minister stated in September 2023 that Canada had reliable evidence confirming that Indian government agents were involved in Nijjar's killing, which occurred in June 2023 in the province of British Columbia.

The findings were published on Tuesday in a report titled Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions.

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Commissioner Marie-Josée Hogue, in the report, noted that disinformation is often used as a retaliatory measure to counter decisions that do not favor a nation's interests. She suggested that India may have "resorted" to such tactics in response to Nijjar's killing.

"This might have been the product of a campaign of disinformation that stemmed from the PMO's statement regarding alleged Indian involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar (although no direct nexus to a foreign state could be established)," the report stated, according to PTI.

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Nijjar was shot dead in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023.

The 123-page report also examined Canada's decision to expel six Indian diplomats and consular officials.

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"In October 2024, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats and consular officials in response to a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by individuals linked to the Government of India," the report stated.

India retaliated by expelling six Canadian diplomats and recalling its high commissioner.

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Bilateral relations between India and Canada significantly deteriorated after Trudeau’s September 2023 claims of “potential” Indian involvement in Nijjar’s murder. New Delhi dismissed these allegations as “absurd.”

India has frequently criticized Trudeau’s administration for its perceived leniency toward Khalistan supporters residing in Canada. While the Khalistan movement remains banned in India, it continues to receive support from segments of the Sikh diaspora, especially in Canada.

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On Tuesday, India strongly rejected any "insinuations" made in the Canadian commission's report regarding foreign interference in Canada's electoral process.

Reacting firmly, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi stated that it rejects the report's claims about India.

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Instead, the ministry asserted that Canada has been "consistently interfering" in India's internal affairs.

Read also| UK Warns Against Satellite Phone Use in India, Citing Risk of Fines or Arrest

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Read also| US Halts Foreign Aid to Pakistan for Re-evaluation

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