Canadian Court Grants Bail to Four Indians in Hardeep Nijjar Murder Case, Raising Questions Over Evidence

January 10, 2025

Hardeep Nijjar Murder Case: In a significant development, a Canadian court has granted bail to all the four Indian nationals accused in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an Indian citizen that India’s National Investigation Agency describes as a ‘designated terrorist’. The case has been on the centre-stage of strained diplomatic ties between the two nations-especially after Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last week accused New Delhi of links with Nijjar’s killing-New Delhi has taken umbrage with this contention.

The accused include Karan Brar (22), Amandeep Singh (22), Kamalpreet Singh (22), and Karanpreet Singh (28). They are accused of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in relation to the killing of Nijjar outside a Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023. However, because of the delay in bringing forward substantial evidence in the preliminary hearings, all four were released under “stay of proceedings” pending trial.

The bail decision was finalised in the November 18, 2024, hearing, where it was noted that some procedural delays were evident and insufficient evidence was a prominent factor. Case moved to the British Columbia Supreme Court, the next hearing for which is set for February 11, 2025.

According to court documents reviewed by India Today, the status of the accused is marked as “N” in the official records meaning they are out of custody. Apparently, the arrested persons have been released on bail or under special conditions while they await further legal proceedings.

Critics in the case contend that the inability of the prosecution to present adequate and timely evidence is weakening Canada’s stance on the issue. It is a setback to the Canadian government, which had been under the spotlight for the way it had handled the case as tensions continued to rise between Canada and India.

Killed recently in June 2023 was pro-Khalistan activist leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar. He fueled an India-Canada diplomatic row for being an “identified terrorist of the Indian government ever since June 2020 over his involvement with separatist activities”.

In September 2024, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Parliament alleged that Canada had “credible evidence” pointing to India’s involvement in the killing. The Indian government dismissed the allegations as “absurd” and “politically motivated,” accusing Canada of harboring extremists and anti-India elements.

The release of the accused on bail raises questions about the prosecution’s ability to substantiate its case against them. With the trial now in the jurisdiction of the British Columbia Supreme Court, all eyes will be on the February hearing to determine how the case progresses and its implications for the already tense India-Canada relationship.

The Nijjar case is an issue of contention in the diplomatic arena and further strained bilateral ties. Though Canada has tried to seek international support for its claims, India continued coming at it with a bang, asserting its stance against what it calls the politically motivated accusations.

The trial is likely going to be something of a test of the truth of the assertions by the government of Canada into its credibility to handle sensitive high-profile cases in a fair way.