'No imminent threat' spurred shocking allegations against government of India, says senior Mountie
RCMP, government officials met with Indian counterparts before announcement
Days after the RCMP dropped the bombshell allegation that Indian government agents have been involved in violent crimes in Canada, a top Mountie said the alleged network of criminals is "unprecedented" but poses no immediate threat to the public.
On Oct. 14, the RCMP held a surprise press conference to publicly allege that agents of the government of India have played a role in "widespread" acts of violence in Canada, including homicides.
In an interview airing Sunday on CBC's Rosemary Barton Live, RCMP Assistant Commissioner Brigitte Gauvin said there was "no imminent threat" behind the announcement and the RCMP "had been planning this proactive approach for some time."
Gauvin told host Rosemary Barton that before the RCMP made the accusation public, "a number of efforts ... were undertaken," including the presentation of evidence to Indian law enforcement and a meeting between senior Canadian and Indian government officials.
"But those attempts were unsuccessful," Gauvin said, adding that Indian media outlets were presenting "false" reporting on the matter and the RCMP wanted to "correct the record."
The claims have undermined an already strained relationship between Canada and India. Tensions flared last year when Trudeau announced in the House of Commons that Canada had evidence linking Indian agents to the killing of Canadian Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. New Delhi has denied the allegation.
When asked whether she was surprised by the extent of the alleged criminal network and its connections to the government of India, Gauvin said she was.
"It is absolutely an extraordinary and outrageous situation, one that is unprecedented here in Canada," she said.
During Monday's press conference, Gauvin said eight people in Canada have been charged with homicide and 22 have been charged with extortion in connection with the investigation.
The Mounties also said they have warned 13 Canadians since September 2023 that they could be targets of harassment or threats by Indian agents. Some of those individuals have received multiple threats, Gauvin said Monday.
India's government has firmly denied the allegations and has claimed that Canada has provided no evidence to support them.
Gauvin was asked by Barton whether the publicity has led some people allegedly linked to the network to flee Canada.
"The objective here is to disrupt the threat and to disrupt the network," Gauvin replied.
"Any type of disruption — as long as it's in line with our objectives of stopping the violence and ensuring that the Canadian public and individuals living in Canada are protected — for us, it's a positive."
In a tit-for-tat response to the RCMP's allegations, Canada and India each expelled six diplomats.
The RCMP said Monday it had sought to question six Indian diplomats — the six that Canada expelled.
'A feeling of validation,' says Sikh in B.C.
Gurkeerat Singh is a spokesperson for the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, B.C. Nijjar, the temple's former president, was shot dead last year inside a car in the temple's busy parking lot.
Singh told Catherine Cullen, host of CBC's The House, that after the RCMP held its news conference, his reaction was "a feeling of validation."
"People felt like we've been saying this for the last 40 years," Singh said.
Singh also said he still fears police will knock on his door to warn him about a threat to his own safety.
"The threat has always been there," he said. "But obviously it's on the rise, knowing that [the] Indian government is involved."
Although six Indian diplomats have been expelled from Canada, Singh said that "doesn't mean the policies are changing for India."
He and the Guru Nanak Sikh Guardwara are calling for Indian consulates in Vancouver and Toronto to be shut down. They argue Sikhs in Canada won't be safe unless the consulates are closed.
When asked whether such closures would penalize Canadians of Indian descent by affecting their access to visas, Singh said that the consulates "are not doing what they were meant to be there for."
"Diplomats are using those places to collect intelligence information that could put the safety of Canadian citizens at risk," he said.
Gauvin said the RCMP is encouraging members of the public to report instances of transnational repression, intimidation or threats, even as witnesses.
"Any type of information will assist us in advancing our investigations, in our efforts in disrupting this threat activity," she said.
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With files from The Canadian Press