Khalistani extremist Inderjit Singh Gosal arrested in Canada on firearms charges

The detention comes just days after a high-level meeting on September 19, between India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Canadian counterpart, Nathalie G. Drouin, where both nations committed to enhanced cooperation on counter-terrorism and transnational crime. Indian agencies reportedly provided Ottawa with detailed dossiers on Gosal, including financial trails and evidence linking him directly to Pannun, the general counsel of SFJ, a U.S.-based organization advocating for a “Khalistan referendum” to establish an independent Sikh state in Punjab. SFJ has been banned in India as a terrorist outfit, and Pannun himself is designated a terrorist by New Delhi.

Gosal rose to prominence within the Khalistani movement following the June 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, another SFJ leader, in Surrey, British Columbia. Nijjar’s death, which Canada alleged involved Indian agents (a claim denied by India), strained bilateral relations and led to mutual diplomat expulsions. After Nijjar’s death, Gosal stepped up as a key Canadian coordinator for SFJ’s referendum campaign, organizing rallies and providing personal security for Pannun during events.

This is not Gosal’s first brush with Canadian authorities. In November 2024, he was arrested by Peel Regional Police in connection with a violent clash at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton. Gosal faced charges of assault with a weapon. The incident had drawn sharp condemnation from India, which labeled it “extremist violence.”

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