'Will wait for more information': S Jaishankar as Canada arrests 3 Indians in Nijjar killing
India will wait for Canadian police to share information on the three Indian men it has arrested and charged with the murder of a Khalistani terrorist last year, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated that India will wait for the Canadian police to provide further details regarding the three individuals arrested and accused with the murder of Khalistani separatist terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
S Jaishankar stated on Saturday that the investigation into Nijjar's murder is a Canadian internal affair and has nothing to do with India. Canadian police charged Karan Brar, 22, Kamalpreet Singh, 22, and Karanpreet Singh, 28, all Indian nationals living in Edmonton, with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
"They appear to be Indians from a gang background. We'll have to wait for the police to tell us," Jaishankar said, adding that he had heard about the arrests, according to Reuters.
“But, as I said, one of our concerns which we have been telling them is that, you know, they have allowed organised crime from India, specifically from Punjab, to operate in Canada,” he further added. Jaishankar’s responses came during an interaction with journalists in Odisha capital Bhubaneswar.
The relationship between India and Canada deteriorated significantly when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian operatives of "potential" involvement in Nijjar's death in September of last year. India has slammed Trudeau's allegations as "absurd" and "motivated."
Sanjay Verma, India's high commissioner to Canada, stated that India intends to get frequent information from Canadian authorities on the three imprisoned Indians. "I hear that the arrests were made following investigations by the appropriate Canadian law enforcement organisations. This is an internal issue in Canada, so we have no comments," Verma added.
Nijjar, 45, was fatally shot outside a gurdwara in Surrey, a Vancouver suburb with a sizable Sikh community. A few months later, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed Indian government participation, causing a diplomatic crisis with New Delhi.