India, Canada meet as arrests may point to another Sikh murder plot

Indian and Canadian intelligence officials have met multiple times to exchange information as more arrests come to light that may point to a previously unknown plot to kill a Sikh activist on North American soil. 

Five men were arrested on firearms charges on November 3, 2023, near Brampton, Ontario, a day before the son of a prominent member of the Sikh independence movement was to be married in the Toronto-area city. Several other well-known advocates, including New York-based lawyer Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, were set to attend. 

Those arrested included Amandeep Singh, who was later charged in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Sikh leader killed in British Columbia in June 2023. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly accused India of directing the assassination, sparking a diplomatic row between the two countries.

Intelligence chiefs from India and Canada have recently met to share evidence, said people familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified to discuss sensitive matters. The new information has prompted more staff to depart India’s external spy agency, the Research and Analysis Wing, the people said. 

The departures point to a cleanup of India’s security regime and follow the earlier exit of an officer that India described as a rogue agent involved in a foiled scheme in New York to murder Pannun. The US is separately urging India to prosecute officials responsible and to reform its security setup.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corp was first to report that five men were arrested a day before the Brampton wedding. The accused include Swaranpreet Singh, 21, Jobanpreet Singh, 21, and Maninder Singh, 22, whose lawyers did not return requests for comment. An attorney for the fifth man, Ramanpreet Singh, 30, could not be reached.

The five men have not been charged with conspiring to kill anyone at the wedding and the gun charges have not been proven in court. Police and prosecutors in Ontario declined to comment as the legal process is still unfolding.

Still, the timing of the arrests — involving two traffic stops that police say uncovered illegal guns and ammunition inside the men’s vehicles — and the fact that Pannun was expected to attend the event raise the possibility that he was a target.

Pannun ultimately declined the wedding invitation at the last minute. In an interview, he expressed frustration with Canadian authorities’ silence on the matter.

“By not uncovering or by not disclosing, they are letting the Indian agents operate with impunity in Canada. They feel there are no consequences for the crimes they are committing,” he said.

Last month, the accused intermediary in the alleged scheme to kill Pannun in New York, Nikhil Gupta, was extradited from the Czech Republic to the US to face charges.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has denied involvement in the murder plots. It had designated both Nijjar and Pannun as terrorists. Both men have long said they only used peaceful means to advocate for an independent Sikh homeland known as Khalistan.

Even as relations remain fraught, there are signs of increased security exchanges between Canada and India. Intelligence chiefs from the nations held at least two meetings in a third country to share information, while Canada’s national security adviser has had a series of discussions with India’s high commissioner in Ottawa, people familiar said.

The Canadian government declined to comment in detail due to to the ongoing court case involving Nijjar’s murder. Four Indian nationals, including Amandeep Singh, have been charged in his death. But it confirmed that the national security adviser and director of the Canadian spy agency have both separately met with Indian officials and will continue to do so.

“Canada is a rule of law country and the protection of our citizens is fundamental. Canada has consistently called on India to work with Canadian authorities on this investigation,” said Jean-Sébastien Comeau, spokesman for Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, in a statement.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs didn’t respond to an email seeking comment. Last week, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry accused Canada of adopting “different yardsticks” to implement the law after police arrested two men over online threats against Trudeau.

“We expect Canada to take action against anti-India elements who have repeatedly threatened Indian leaders, institutions, airlines and diplomats by violence,” said Randhir Jaiswal.