Post-Trudeau: Canada court grants bail to all four Indian accused in Nijjar case; trial in Feb
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Hours after Justin Trudeau quit as the Canadian Prime Minister, a court granted bail to all four Indian accused arrested in May 2024 in the Hardeep Singh Nijjar murder case, which soured the North American country’s relations with India.
Since September 2023, Trudeau has been accusing “Indian agents” of involvement in the Khalistani leader’s murder but admitted he had no evidence to support his claims. After unprecedented unpopularity both inside and outside Canada, a bevy of controversies, and dwindling support even within his Liberal Party, he resigned on Tuesday, months ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled before October 2025.
The Surrey Provincial Court granted them bail ahead of the trial in the British Columbia Supreme Court, with the next hearing scheduled for February 11.
Karan Brar, Kamalpreet Singh, Karanpreet Singh, and Amandeep Singh were arrested by Canada’s Royal Canadian Mounted Police in connection with the Nijjar murder probe. Charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, the media reported on Thursday.
An interim publication ban, requested by the Crown and agreed to by the defense, restricts public access to updates on case management discussions and pre-trial motions.
The Canadian government has issued a “direct indictment,” moving the case from Surrey Provincial Court to the British Columbia Supreme Court. This process skips a preliminary inquiry, fast-tracking the case to trial.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a wanted Khalistani terrorist in India, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023. In September, then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed to have credible evidence of the Indian government’s involvement in Nijjar’s killing, a charge that India has repeatedly dismissed.
Trudeau’s allegations led to tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats by both countries and strained bilateral relations. Despite making grave allegations against India, Ottawa has not shared evidence with New Delhi in connection with the case. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India is open to an investigation if Canada has any evidence or information related to any violence that is relevant to be investigated in India.
