What we know about the arrests and investigation into Hardeep Singh Nijjar's killing
Three alleged hitmen in their 20s facing murder, conspiracy charges
Three men are facing charges in connection with the killing of a Sikh separatist activist in B.C., a crime that fractured the diplomatic relationship between India and Canada when accusations arose that one country had orchestrated the high-profile murder of the other's citizen on home soil.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, was shot dead in what appeared to be a highly coordinated attack as he left the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, B.C., on June 18, 2023. A Canadian citizen, Nijjar was a prominent local leader in the Khalistan movement pushing for the creation of an independent Sikh state in India.
Three alleged hitmen in their 20s, all Indian nationals who arrived in Canada several years ago, have been accused of carrying out the killing.
Here's what we know about the accused and the case.
3 men accused
The RCMP identified the men arrested in May 2024 by their legal names, acknowledging they may also use shorter names or aliases:
- Karan Brar, now 23.
- Kamalpreet Singh, now 23.
- Karanpreet Singh, now 29.
The men are Indian nationals who had been living in Edmonton. Sources told CBC News investigators identified the three in Canada "some months" before their arrests and had been keeping them under tight surveillance.
The men arrived in Canada on temporary visas, sources said, including some on student visas. None are believed to have pursued education while in Canada and none have obtained permanent residency.
RCMP said the men all arrived in the country separately between three and five years ago, but would not comment further on the suspects' immigration statuses during a news conference in May.
Police expected to have the men transported to B.C. within days.
What roles do police believe the men played?
Members of the hit squad are alleged to have played different roles as shooters, drivers and spotters the day Nijjar was killed, sources said.
The three men each face charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Police believe the men plotted with others on plans to kill Nijjar in Surrey and Edmonton between May 1, 2023 and June 18, 2023, according to court documents.
Asked during a news conference whether the public should consider the men to have been "guns for hire," police said more information would come out in court.
"The evidence will show the roles these individuals played," said Supt. Mandeep Mooker, the officer in charge of the RCMP's Integrated Homicide Investigation Team.
What about other suspects?
Police also said officers are "aware" others might have played a role in the killing. RCMP Assistant Commissioner David Teboul said the incident was still "very much under active investigation."
The RCMP were also asked whether there are any Indian "sleeper agents" in Canada, a term that refers to an operative strategically placed in another country to work as needed after potentially being inactive, or "asleep," for months or years.
Teboul said it was a "great question," but that he could not say more because the issue is "very much at the centre of evidence and ongoing investigations."
How did the case affect the relationship between Canada and India?
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has repeatedly said there is credible information pointing to the Indian government's involvement in the assassination plot, remarks that essentially accuse India of having a hand in plans to kill a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil.
Trudeau's accusation shattered the diplomatic relationship between the two countries when it was raised in the House of Commons in September 2023.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has denied ordering extrajudicial killings in Canada. Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar initially decried the Canadian allegation as "absurd" and accused Canada of harbouring violent extremists.
Police are still investigating whether the three men arrested Friday are connected to the Indian government, according to Teboul, who said collaboration with "partner agencies" in India had been "rather challenging and difficult."
3 more killed on Canadian soil
Sources close to the investigation also told CBC News that police are actively investigating possible links to three additional murders in Canada. Two men with links to organized crime in India were killed after Trudeau's comments about India in the House last year, as was a young boy:
- Sukhdool Singh Gill, 39, was found shot dead in Winnipeg on Sept. 20, 2023.
- Harpreet Uppal, 41, was shot dead in his vehicle in Edmonton on Nov. 9, 2023.
- Gavin Uppal, 11, was killed alongside his father.
No one has been charged in their deaths to date.
RCMP said they would not comment in May on the separate investigations in Winnipeg and Edmonton, but repeatedly noted officers in B.C. "are co-ordinating with a variety of agencies" in three to four provinces.
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With files from CBC's Evan Dyer, J.P. Tasker and Jason Proctor