Canada's Probe In Nijjar Case Tainted, Ottawa Must Produce Evidence: Indian Envoy

Indian envoy emphasized that Canada and its allies have not presented India with substantial evidence regarding India's purported connection to Nijjar's murder.

India's High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, has made serious claims against Canada in the murder case of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Verma claimed that while Canada's probe in the case is tainted, PM Justin Trudeau's statement against India damaged the probe. He also urged Ottawa to release evidence backing up its allegation against India. Verma's statement was like rubbing salt in the wound for Canada as the envoy made the remarks in an interview with the Canadian platform, The Globe and Mail.

Verma emphasized that Canada and its allies have not presented India with substantial evidence regarding India's purported connection to Nijjar's murder. He also indicated that Prime Minister Trudeau's public statements have potentially hindered the ongoing Canadian police investigation into the killing.

"Where is the evidence? Where is the conclusion of the investigation? I would go a step further and say now the investigation has already been tainted. A direction has come from someone at a high level to say India or Indian agents are behind it," he said. 

While denying India's role in the killing, Verma said any conversations between diplomats are protected and can't be used as evidence in court or publicly released. "You are talking about illegal wiretaps and talking about evidence. Conversations between two diplomats are secure by all international law," he said.

The Indian envoy also noted that New Delhi has made 26 requests to Ottawa over the past five or six years to extradite people in Canada to India but New Delhi is still waiting for any action on those requests. The High Commissioner also said he has been given Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) security because of threats to him.

He also asked Canada to rein in Khalistani terrorists. "Don't allow your soil to be used by a group of Canadian citizens who want to dismember India or those who want to challenge the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India," he said.