First Appearance of Indian Nationals in BC Provincial Court
This marked the debut of all four Indian nationals before the BC provincial court in Surrey. Three of them, implicated in the murder of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar, appeared in court in British Columbia in person, while the fourth appeared virtually. They will remain in custody until their next hearing in June.
Appearance
Karan Brar, 22, Kamalpreet Singh, 22, and Karanpreet Singh, 28, all from Edmonton and detained in BC, attended the hearing in person, while 22-year-old Amandeep Singh, held in Ontario, attended remotely. The judge, Emmet Duncan, scheduled their next court date for June 25, as reported by Surrey Now Leader.
Adjournment Reasons
The adjournment to June 25 was due to disclosure obligations, involving providing the defendants' lawyers with relevant case materials, as explained by the prosecutor.
Presence of Pro-Khalistan Elements
Similar to their previous appearances, pro-Khalistan supporters congregated outside the courthouse, displaying anti-India signs and separatist flags.
Case Update
Amandeep Singh made his initial court appearance on May 15, while the other three appeared before a judge on May 7. This Tuesday marked the first time all four faced the judge together. They are all charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Previous Arrests and Investigations
Amandeep Singh was already in Peel Regional Police custody when implicated in the Nijjar case, arrested in November 2023 on multiple charges, including firearm possession and controlled substance possession.
The others were apprehended in and around Edmonton on May 3 and transferred to British Columbia for trial.
Canadian authorities have not yet announced any link to the Indian Government regarding the murder. However, Assistant Commissioner David Teboul mentioned ongoing investigations, including possible ties to the Government of India. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed the investigations were ongoing.
India-Canada Relations
The murder of Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia, strained India-Canada relations following Trudeau's statement in the House of Commons, suggesting credible allegations of potential Indian agent involvement. India refuted the charges as absurd and motivated.
