(Surrey) The three suspects charged with the murder of British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed last year, are due to appear in Surrey court on Tuesday.
Indian nationals Karanpreet Singh, Kamalpreet Singh and Karan Brar face charges of first degree murder and conspiracy to murder in Surrey Provincial Court.
Their arrests took place Friday in Edmonton for the murder of Mr. Nijjar, who was killed in June last year outside the Surrey Sikh temple where he was president.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE INTEGRATED HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION TEAM, VIA THE CANADIAN PRESS
The three suspects: Kamalpreet Singh, Karanpreet Singh and Karan Brar
The killing of Mr. Nijjar, who campaigned for the independence of a Sikh territory known as Khalistan, roiled Canada-India relations after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the House of Commons that credible intelligence suggested that the Indian government was behind his death.
The indictments of the three suspects allege that from 1er May last year they conspired in Surrey and Edmonton to kill Mr Nijjar, while the murder charges allege all three used a gun in the killing.
India has repeatedly denied any involvement in the death of Mr. Nijjar, who was shot and killed in his van as he left the temple parking lot.
The Indian Minister of Foreign Affairs accused Canada this weekend of welcoming criminals from India.
In response to the arrests, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said “wanted criminals” from India and “people with links to organized crime in Punjab” had been able to enter Canada.