Sources tell the Globe & Mail that two men could be arrested soon for the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the government of India of being behind the killing in June outside a temple in Surrey, British Columbia.
The Indian government has denied the accusation and also denies a similar allegation by U.S. authorities about an assassination plot in that country of a Sikh activist that it successfully foiled in New York.
Sources say prosecutors will lay out their case and any ties to India when the charges are filed.
The Wire reports that if prosecutors press charges, diplomatic relations between India and Canada would likely worsen. It also cites a Washington Post story that video surveillance and witness accounts show six people and two vehicles were involved in the killing of Nijjar.
India has since said it will cooperate with any investigation and will stop denying any accusations.
India designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020.
In September, AsAmNews reported the U.S. Justice Department charged Nikhil Gupta in a foiled murder for hire plot to kill an unidentified Sikh nationalist in New York. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of Sikhs for Justice posted on social media that he was the intended target.
AsAmNews is published by the non-profit, Asian American Media Inc.
Happy Lunar New Year. Please support our Lunar New Year $5,000 matching grant challenge. A generous donor is matching dollar for dollar every donation through February 16 up to $5,000. All donations will go toward fully funding an editor position at AsAmNews. You can make your tax deductible donations here via credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal and Venmo. Stock donations and donations via DAF are also welcomed.
Please also follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and X.
