INDIAN nationals Karan Brar, 22, Kamalpreet Singh, 22, and Karanpreet Singh, 28, and Amandeep Singh, 22, who have been charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in connection to the assassination of Khalistan advocate Hardeep Singh Nijjar, made their court appearance in Surrey provincial court on Tuesday.

Nijjar’s supporters carried Khalistan flags and signs outside the courthouse.

Except for Amandeep Singh, who appeared by video link from Ontario where he is in custody, the others made their appearance in person for the first time.

The last time, on May 15, Karan Brar, Kamalpreet Singh and Karanpreet Singh had made their first appearance in court by video link, while Amandeep Singh had made his appearance by telephone.

Nijjar was assassinated on June 18, 2023, in a parking lot of Surrey’s Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara where he served as president. Amandeep Singh’s arrest in connection to Nijjar’s murder was announced by the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) on May 11. He was already in custody for unrelated firearms charges by Ontario’s Peel Regional Police. He had resided in Brampton, Surrey, and Abbotsford. The others were arrested in Edmonton, Alberta, on May 3, and transferred to Surrey.

Judge Emmet Duncan placed the suspects, whose next appearance is on June 25, under a no-contact order.  The prosecution has to complete evidentiary disclosure to the defence lawyers.