Seen reports, not received any consular access request: MEA on fourth Indian arrested by Canada in Nijjar killing

NEW DELHI: India has seen reports regarding the fourth Indian arrested by Canada over his involvement in the killing of India-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday.

While addressing a press briefing, Jaiswal noted that Canada has not formally conveyed about the arrest and India has not yet received any consular access request. On being asked about the fourth Indian arrested by Canada in the Nijjar killing, Jaiswal stated, “We have seen reports of the fourth person being arrested. We have not been formally conveyed of it. So far, we have not received any consular access request as well”.

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Last week, the Canadian police said that they have arrested a fourth suspect over his alleged involvement in the killing of the designated terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Canada-based CBC News reported.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was designated a terrorist by India’s National Investigation Agency in 2020, was shot and killed as he came out of a Gurdwara in Surrey in June last year. The attack was described as ‘highly coordinated’ and involved six men and two vehicles.

The accused has been identified as Amandeep Singh (22). According to the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) in British Columbia, Singh was already in the custody of Peel Regional Police in Ontario for unrelated firearms charges. “IHIT pursued the evidence and gained sufficient information for the BC Prosecution Service to charge Amandeep Singh with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder”, the police statement said.

The police said that Singh is an Indian national, splitting his time in Canada in Brampton, Ontario; Surrey, British Columbia, and Abbotsford, British Columbia, as reported by CBC News. Investigators haven’t released any further details of the arrest, citing ongoing investigations and court processes.

This comes days after the Canadian police arrested three Indian nationals — Karan Brar, Kamalpreet Singh and Karanpreet Singh in Edmonton. The trio was charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in relation to the homicide.

Notably, the Canadian police has not given any evidence of any link to India, as was being speculated in Canadian media. Nijjar’s killing triggered diplomatic tensions between Canada and India after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged India’s hand in the killing — a claim New Delhi has rejected, calling it “absurd” and “motivated”.

Last week, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reiterated that Canada has not provided any “specific” evidence or relevant information in the Hardeep Singh Nijjar killing case and that no “formal communication” has been provided to India over the arrests of three Indians allegedly involved in the matter.

“No specific or relevant evidence or information has been given to us in this matter. Canada has informed us about the arrest. But we have not got any formal communication,” MEA Spokesperson Jaiswal said on three Indians were arrested in Canada in Nijjar’s killing.

On being asked if India has given consular access to the three Indians arrested in the Nijjar killing case, the MEA said that they have not received any request from the Canadian side for the same as the accused have not asked for the consular access yet. (ANI)