'Even before probe, India was convicted': Indian envoy on Nijjar killing claims by Canada

Indo-Canada relations: Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma has said India "was convicted" even before the probe into the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June this year. The issue has triggered a diplomatic row between the two countries. 

He urged the Canadian government to release evidence to back up its claim that there was India's involvement in Nijjar's death, India Today reported on Saturday.

The ties between India and Canada touched a new low after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged on September 18 that there was a potential link between Indian agents and the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia in June.

Following the incident, Canadian PM Trudeau made allegations in Parliament of "credible" links between Indian government agents and Nijjar's killing, based on some intelligence reports. The claims made by the Canadian government were supported by US intelligence assistance, but the evidence supporting the claim is yet to be made public. 

The Indian government has firmly denied "absurd" and "motivated" allegations that it was involved in death of Nijjar, and has demanded Ottawa share evidence to back its claims.

India expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move to Ottawa's expulsion of an Indian official over the case.

In an interview on Canada's CTV channel, Verma pointed out: "There are two points on that. One is that, even without the investigation being concluded, India was convicted.  Is that a rule of law."

The envoy further explained: "This is because India was asked to cooperate and if you look at the typical criminal terminology, when someone asks to cooperate, it means you have already been convicted and you better cooperate."

"So, we took it in a very different interpretation. But, we have always said that if there is anything very specific and relevant, and communicated to us. We will look into it," Verma said. 

Earlier this week, the High Commission of India in Canada announced that they have restored the eVisa facility for all eligible Canadian citizens from November 22, 2023.