All 4 Indians accused of Hardeep Nijjar’s murder granted bail by Canada court
The four Indian nationals accused of killing Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar have been granted bail by a court in Canada.
The four accused Indian citizens – Karan Brar, Amandeep Singh, Kamalpreet Singh, and Karanpreet Singh – were charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. The trial has been moved to the British Columbia Supreme Court, with the next hearing scheduled for February 11.
Hardeep Nijjar, a prominent pro-Khalistan leader, was assassinated in June 2023 in Surrey, British Columbia. The case gained global attention after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of being involved in the murder. India has denied the allegations, calling them “baseless”.
The four Indian nationals were arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in May 2024 from different parts of Canada. However, delays in presenting evidence by the prosecution during preliminary hearings drew criticism.
Court documents examined by India Today reveal that all the four men were released under “stay of proceedings” while awaiting trial. They appeared before the Supreme Court during a hearing on November 18, 2024.
As per court records, the status of all the four defendants was marked as ‘N’, indicating that they are “not” in custody. This means the individuals are not currently detained and may be out on bail or released under specific conditions while awaiting further court proceedings.
The Canadian government has invoked a “direct indictment”, transferring the case from the Surrey Provincial Court to the British Columbia Supreme Court. This legal manoeuvre bypasses a preliminary inquiry, expediting the case to trial.
PUBLICATION BAN ON PRE-TRIAL PROCEEDINGS
An interim publication ban, requested by the Crown and consented to by defence counsel, has been imposed on pre-trial proceedings. This restricts public access to updates on case management discussions and pre-trial motions.
“Some pre-trial motions will be held before the actual trial, but we cannot provide an estimate yet regarding the duration of the pre-trial period,” a Prosecution Service official stated.
IMPLICATIONS FOR CANADA
The release of the accused is being seen as a potential setback for the Canadian government, particularly after its initial hardline stance against India. Critics said that the delays and lack of substantial evidence in the case have undermined Canada’s position on the matter.
The case has strained India-Canada diplomatic ties, already frosty over the contentious issue of Khalistani extremism. Nijjar’s killing has polarised the Sikh diaspora in Canada, with some supporting his pro-Khalistan ideology and others opposing it.