Intelligence sources said that the Khalistani elements in Canada are not just restricted to protests but have also been involved in physical assaults and violence.
India has issued a dossier to Canada on Khalistani groups, saying the Justin Trudeau government is giving shelter to banned terror groups. According to top intelligence sources, India has said that Canada is a hub of gangsters and Pakistan-based Khalistani groups and that a number of deportation requests are pending with Canadian authorities but there has been no response.
India has expressed concerns over recent events and developments involving pro-Khalistani groups in Canada.
A tableau ‘celebrating’ the assassination of former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards went around the city of Brampton in Canada on June 4, 2023. This parade parade was organised by Khalistani groups on the 39th anniversary of Operation Bluestar. A strong disapproval had come from the Government of India over this and they called it vote bank politics.
Intelligence sources said that the Khalistani elements in Canada are not just restricted to protests but have also been involved in physical assaults and violence of which, several cases will be investigated by Indian federal agencies.
Sources said that wanted accused sitting in Canada have been masterminding killings and terror activities in Punjab and other parts of India. They have been executing these tasks with the help of gangsters sitting in the jails of Delhi and Punjab, sources said.
Extradition Requests Pending With Canada
Sources said that several requests from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for the extradition and deportation of terror operatives and pro-Khalistani elements have been pending with the Canadian Government, but they are not ready to cooperate in any investigation.
These accused are wanted in cases of terrorism, murder and other related offences, according to sources.
The main requests are for Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) member Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias Landa (originally from Tarn Taran in Punjab), for whom the agency has announced a reward of Rs 15 lakh.
Deepak, a close associate of Landa, was arrested for allegedly carrying out a rocket-propelled grenade attack on the Punjab police intelligence headquarters in Mohali in May 2022. Deepak was involved in multiple cases of terrorist and criminal offences, including killings.
Landa’s aide Arshdeep Singh Gill alias Arsh Dalla, is also based in Canada and is linked to the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF).
Another aide Hardeep Singh Nijjar — a “designated” terrorist having connections with the banned “Sikhs For Justice (SFJ)” — was gunned down by two assailants in Surrey on June 18.
Dalla was designated as an “individual terrorist” by the Ministry of Home Affairs on January 9, 2023. In February, the NIA arrested six persons related to terrorist-gangster-drug smuggler nexus cases, including Dalla’s associate Lucky Khokhar, a resident of Bhatinda (Punjab). He had provided arms and ammunition to Dalla’s men in Punjab. The weapons were used to kill one Paramjit Singh in Jagraon (Punjab) in January.
Another accused wanted by the agency is Canada-based Satwinderjeet Singh alias Goldy Brar, who is an accused in the killing of Pradeep Kumar, a Dera Sacha Sauda follower, in Faridkot in November 2022. He also works for Landa.
In 2022, Sidhu Moose Wala who had emigrated to Canada and returned to India to join state elections in Punjab, was shot dead in India. His murder has been claimed by Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar.
Sources said no action is being taken against elements like SFJ’s United States-based chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun who also make attempts to create communal disharmony using social media platforms. He was booked by the NIA in December 2020, along with Nijjar and Paramjit Singh Pamma, who lives in the United Kingdom.
Khalistani Groups in Canada
1. International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF)
2. Babbar Khalsa
3. Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF)
4. Sikh For Justice (SFJ)
5. Dal Khalsa
Terrorists in Canada
1. Hardeep Singh Nijjar (dead)
2. Mandeep Singh Dhaliwal
3. Parvkar Singh Dulai
4. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun (SFJ leader)
Radicalisation Hubs
1. Surrey, British Columbia
2. Brampton, Ontario
3. Toronto, Ontario
4. Montreal, Quebec
Indian Concerns referred to Canada Govt
1. Terrorist financing
2. Radicalisation of youth
3. Hate speech and incitement
4. Violence and intimidation
Sources said the Canadian Government is giving space to extremists, separatists and those advocating violence. The Canadian government must recognise that it has a responsibility to ensure the safety and security of its citizens, both at home and abroad, Indian sources said.
India has said that Canada should take the threat of Khalistani extremism seriously and take concrete steps to address it. Multiple attacks have happened on Indian temples but not once has the Trudeau Government shown its commitment towards Hindus, sources said.
Sources have said that Khalistani presence in Canada is a complex issue, with concerns about radicalisation, terrorism, and diplomatic tensions between India and Canada.
