All 4 Indians accused of Hardeep Nijjar's murder granted bail
What's the story
A Canadian court has granted bail to four Indian nationals—Karan Brar, Amandeep Singh, Kamalpreet Singh, and Karanpreet Singh—accused of murdering Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The accused are facing charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. The trial has been moved to the British Columbia Supreme Court, with the next hearing scheduled for February 11.
Case background
Nijjar's assassination and subsequent arrests
Nijjar was assassinated in Surrey, British Columbia in June 2023. The case drew global attention after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of involvement in the murder, a claim India has vehemently denied as "baseless." The four accused were arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) from different parts of Canada in May 2024.
Legal developments
Court proceedings and publication ban details
Court documents show that all four men were released under a "stay of proceedings" pending trial. The Canadian government has invoked a "direct indictment," moving the case from the Surrey Provincial Court to the British Columbia Supreme Court. The legal maneuver skips a preliminary inquiry, fast-tracking the case to trial. An interim publication ban has been imposed on pre-trial proceedings at the Crown's request and with defense counsel's consent.
Diplomatic tensions
Accused's release seen as setback for Canadian government
The release of the accused is being viewed as a possible setback for the Canadian government, especially after its initial hardline stance against India. Critics claim that delays and absence of substantial evidence have weakened Canada's position on this matter. According to News18, top Indian government sources described the incident as "embarrassing for the Canadian Police." They also claimed that the Canadian Police were not informed about the accused and thus were not present in court for the hearing.