Fri Nov 22 04:59:03 UTC 2024: ## Canada Denies Linking Top Indian Officials to Nijjar Murder Plot

**OTTAWA** – The Canadian government has denied allegations linking top Indian officials to the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist leader killed in Vancouver last year. In a statement released Friday, National Security and Intelligence Advisor Nathalie G Drouin refuted a report in the *Globe and Mail* newspaper which cited unnamed Canadian officials claiming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval knew of a plot to kill Nijjar.

Drouin stated that the Canadian government is unaware of any evidence supporting these claims, calling them speculative and inaccurate. The statement specifically addressed the October 14th RCMP announcement regarding serious criminal activity in Canada allegedly perpetrated by Indian government agents, clarifying that while the threat was acknowledged, no evidence directly links the aforementioned Indian leaders to the crime.

India swiftly condemned the *Globe and Mail* report as a smear campaign, with External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal dismissing the allegations as “ludicrous” and damaging to already strained bilateral relations.

This latest denial further escalates the ongoing diplomatic crisis between India and Canada, which began after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian agents were involved in Nijjar’s killing. India has repeatedly rejected these allegations, accusing Trudeau of making politically motivated claims. Last month, Canada also implicated Indian diplomats in the alleged plot, a claim India similarly dismissed due to a lack of evidence. The Canadian government has yet to provide concrete evidence to support its allegations.

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