Canada claims 3 held for Nijjar killing are Indian nationals, Delhi waits for details

Canadian police have not been able to establish any link between the three arrested individuals and alleged Indian government agents that Trudeau mentioned.

The three men were arrested Friday morning by investigators of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) with the assistance of members of the British Columbia and Alberta Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Edmonton Police Service.

Citing sources, a Global News report said the suspects had entered Canada on “student visas but may have been working at the direction of Indian intelligence when they shot Nijjar”.

“The investigation does not end here. We are aware that there are others out there that played a role in this homicide and we remain dedicated to identifying and arresting each one of them,” Superintendent Mandeep Mooker, Officer in Charge of the IHIT, said.

According to Canadian media, RCMP Assistant Commissioner David Teboul said, “There are separate and distinct investigations ongoing into these matters, certainly not limited to the involvement of the people arrested today, and these efforts include investigating connections to the Government of India.”

“…I will say this matter is still very much under active investigation. I will underscore that today’s announcements are not a complete account of the investigative work underway,” he said.

There was no official word on the arrests of Indian nationals from the government in New Delhi. Sources in New Delhi said they will wait for details about the case and the individuals before commenting.

Normally, when Indian nationals are arrested, the Indian embassy or the nearby consulate does get consular access.

Of the three held, Karan Brar hails from Kotkapura town in Punjab’s Faridkot district and was said to have travelled to Canada four years ago on a study visa.

His father Mandeep Singh Brar died in April this year but Karan did not return to India for the last rites. Kotkapura Deputy SP Jatinder Singh said Karan Brar did not have any criminal history in the district police records.

Karanpreet Singh, among the three arrested, hails from Sundal village in Batala police district. Sundal village Sarpanch Lovedeep Singh told The Indian Express that Karanpreet had gone to Canada around four years ago on a work permit.

Karanpreet’s father Sukhdev Singh performs free sewa in a village gurdwara. Both Sukhdev and Karan spent several years in Dubai working as truck drivers, the Sarpanch said.

Kamalpreet Singh, the third man arrested, hails from Chak Kalan village under Jalandhar Rural police district. Village Sarpanch Teerath Singh told The Indian Express that Kamalpreet’s father Satnam Singh is an agriculturist-cum commission agent. “It’s a well-off, respected family. Kamalpreet can never be involved in any such act,” he said, adding that Kamalpreet had moved to Canada on a study visa.