A Canadian commission report has concluded that there is “no definitive link” to a “foreign state” in the killing of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, contradicting allegations made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who accused Indian agents of involvement in the murder.
In September 2023, Trudeau asserted that Canada had credible evidence implicating Indian government agents in Nijjar’s killing in British Columbia in June 2023, according to The Hindu.
Nijjar was fatally shot in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023.
The report, titled Public Inquiry Into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions, was released on Tuesday, (28 January).
Commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue, who led the inquiry, observed that “disinformation is used as a retaliatory tactic to punish decisions that run contrary to a state’s interests.”
The report suggested that India may have engaged in disinformation campaigns related to Nijjar’s killing.
“This may have been the case with a disinformation campaign that followed the Prime Minister’s announcement regarding suspected Indian involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar (though again, no definitive link to a foreign state could be proven),” the report stated.
The 123-page report also addressed the expulsion of six Indian diplomats.
“In October 2024, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats and consular officials in response to a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by agents linked to the Government of India,” it noted.
Relations between India and Canada have significantly worsened since Trudeau’s September 2023 claims regarding the “potential” involvement of Indian agents in Nijjar’s killing.
New Delhi rejected Trudeau’s assertions as “absurd.”
India has repeatedly accused Trudeau’s administration of being too lenient toward supporters of the Khalistan movement in Canada. While the movement, which seeks an independent Sikh state, is banned in India, it has a strong presence among the Sikh diaspora, particularly in Canada.
On Tuesday, India strongly refuted the “insinuations” made in the Canadian commission’s report investigating foreign interference in Canada’s elections.
