Four Indians accused in Hardeep Singh Nijjar murder case granted bail in Canada
Ottawa: A Canadian court has granted bail to four Indian nationals charged with the first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, media reports said.
The accused — Karan Brar, Amandeep Singh, Kamalpreet Singh, and Karanpreet Singh — are awaiting trial, with the next hearing set for February 11 at the British Columbia Supreme Court, reported India Today.
Nijjar, a prominent pro-Khalistan leader, was assassinated in June 2023 in Surrey, British Columbia.
The case sparked international controversy when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian government involvement in the murder, claims India has firmly denied as "baseless."
The four men were arrested in May 2024 by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) from various locations across Canada.
Their release followed delays in presenting evidence during preliminary hearings, leading to criticism of the prosecution.
Court documents indicate the defendants were released under "stay of proceedings" conditions and are not currently in custody.
The Canadian government has invoked a "direct indictment," transferring the case to the British Columbia Supreme Court to bypass preliminary inquiries and expedite trial proceedings.
An interim publication ban has been imposed on pre-trial motions and case management discussions.
A Prosecution Service official noted that while some pre-trial motions would precede the trial, the duration of this phase remains unclear.
The case has intensified diplomatic tensions between India and Canada, already strained over the issue of Khalistani extremism.
Nijjar’s killing has divided Canada’s Sikh diaspora, with some supporting his pro-Khalistan ideology and others opposing it.
Critics have pointed to the delays and insufficient evidence as a setback for the Canadian government, undermining its earlier strong stance against India in the case.
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