In a major development, Indian and Canadian intelligence officials held multiple meetings to share information as more arrests come to light that may point to a previously unknown plot to kill an Indian Sikh leader on US soil. Bloomberg reported.
According to the publication, 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 get married in the Toronto-area city.
The event was expected to be attended by prominent figures, including New York-based lawyer Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
Among those arrested was Amandeep Singh, who was later charged with the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Sikh leader killed in British Columbia in June 2023.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Narendra Modi-led government in New Delhi of masterminding the killing.
The intelligence chiefs of 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 personnel to leave India’s spy agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), the people said.
The departures point to a clean-up of India's security regime and follow the earlier exit of an officer India described as a rogue agent involved in a foiled plot in New York to assassinate Pannun.
The United States is meanwhile urging India to prosecute the officials responsible and reform its security system.
It is pertinent to mention here that the five men have not been charged with conspiring to kill anyone at the wedding and the weapons charges have not been proven in court.
Ontario police and prosecutors declined to comment because the legal process is still ongoing.
Still, the timing of the arrests — which included two traffic stops in which police say illegal guns and ammunition were discovered inside the men’s vehicles — and the fact that Pannun was expected to attend the event raise the possibility that he was targeted, the report said.
Pannun ultimately declined the wedding invitation at the last minute. In an interview, she expressed frustration at the silence of Canadian authorities on the matter.
“By not disclosing information or by not disclosing anything, they are allowing Indian agents to operate with impunity in Canada. They feel that there are no consequences for the crimes they are committing,” he said.
