Nijjar’s killers expected to be arrested soon, says Globe and Mail report

Hardeep Singh Nijjar Photo: GNSG Facebook

THE Globe and Mail reported on Wednesday that according to sources the two alleged killers of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar — who was assassinated outside Surrey’s Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara where he was president on June 18 — have been under police surveillance for months and are “expected to be arrested by the RCMP in a matter of weeks.”

The newspaper said that its sources revealed that the alleged killers never left Canada after the brazen murder. “The sources said police will explain the alleged assassins’ involvement and that of the Indian government when charges are laid against the two men,” the report stated.

On September 18, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sent shock waves around the world when he revealed in the House of Commons that Canadian security agencies had been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between Government of India agents and Nijjar’s assassination.

The Prime Minister said: “Over the past number of weeks, Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen – Hardeep Singh Nijjar.”

Trudeau added: “Canada has declared its deep concerns to the top intelligence and security officials of the Indian government. Last week, at the G-20, I brought them personally and directly to Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi in no uncertain terms.”

Earlier this month, Trudeau told The Canadian Press that he had warned India at the G-20 Summit that what it knew about the Nijjar murder would eventually come out and when it did, “they chose to attack us and undermine us with a scale of misinformation and disinformation in their media that was comical.”

Interestingly, Trudeau told The Canadian Press that Canada intends to reveal evidence very much in the fashion the U.S. did when it reaches those points in the investigation, pointing out that the U.S. started its investigation into the attempted murder case in connection to Sikh activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun earlier.

Trudeau said: “Canada is investigating a murder and there are different stakes involved in that and our justice system has different processes,” he said. “But that is unfolding.”

 

LAST September, a Washington Post report claimed that the operation to assassinate Nijjar in Surrey comprised at least six men and two vehicles.

The paper said a 90-second recording of a video its staff reviewed showed a white sedan and Nijjar’s pickup truck driving side-by-side before the former pulled in front of the latter and braked. As Nijjar’s vehicle stopped, two men in hooded sweatshirts from a waiting area moved toward Nijjar with firearms.

After the murder, the white sedan drove off and the two armed men ran in the same direction.

The Washington Post reported that investigators told community members that 34 bullets hit Nijjar.

The paper reported that a gurdwara committee member saw the two gunmen running toward Cougar Creek Park and gave chase. The gunmen then ran to a cul-de-sac and got into a silver car in which there were three other men.

The committee member said that one of the men was just over five feet tall and heavy-set, while the other was about four inches taller and leaner. But he didn’t see their faces.

The paper also reported that the spokesman of the B.C. Sikh Gurdwara Council told them that Nijjar’s mechanic had recently found a tracker in the wheel well of his truck.

 

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun
videosnatch

IN November, a superseding indictment unsealed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York revealed that Indian national Nikhil Gupta (aka “Nick”), 52, had been charged with murder for hire and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire in connection with his participation in a foiled plot to assassinate a U.S. citizen in New York City.

Although the indictment doesn’t mention the name of the U.S. citizen, a senior Biden administration source was quoted by a U.S. newspaper as saying the target was Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, general counsel for the New York-based Sikhs for Justice.

The indictment also stated that on or about June 18, 2023, masked gunmen murdered Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia, Canada.  Nijjar was an associate of the Victim [the U.S. citizen who was the target], and like the Victim, was a leader of the Sikh separatist movement and an outspoken critic of the Indian government.  On or about June 19, 2023, the day after the Nijjar murder, Gupta told the UC [DEA undercover officer] that Nijjar “was also the target” and “we have so many targets.”  Gupta added that, in light of Nijjar’s murder, there was “now no need to wait” on killing the Victim.  On or about June 20, 2023, CC-1 [an Indian government agency employee] sent Gupta a news article about the Victim and messaged Gupta, “[i]t’s [a] priority now.”

CC-1 variously described himself as a “Senior Field Officer” with responsibilities in “Security Management” and “Intelligence,” and who also has referenced previously serving in India’s Central Reserve Police Force and receiving “officer training” in “battle craft” and “weapons.”  CC-1 directed the assassination plot from India, according to the indictment.

The indictment also states: “Gupta also told the CS [ a confidential source working with the DEA] to expect the Victim to be more careful in the wake of the Nijjar murder: “He will be more cautious, because in Canada, his colleague is down. His colleague is down. I sent you the video. So he will be more cautious, so we should not give them the chance, any chance.” Gupta added: If he is not alone, [if] there are two guys with him in the meeting or something … put everyone down, put everyone down.”