Amid a massive diplomatic row between Indian and Canada over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, New Delhi has reportedly added a Canadian Border Service Agency (CBSA) official, identified as Sandeep Singh Sidhu, to its list of fugitive terrorists sought for deportation.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police went public this week with allegations that Indian diplomats were targeting Sikh separatists in Canada by sharing information about them with their government back home.
They said top Indian officials were then passing that information along to Indian organised crime groups who were targeting the activists, who are Canadian citizens, with drive-by shootings, extortions and even murder.
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India, for its part, has rejected the Canadian accusations as absurd, and its foreign ministry said it was expelling Canada’s acting high commissioner and five other diplomats in response.
Reports indicate that Sandeep Singh Sidhu, an employee of the CBSA and a member of the banned International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), is accused of promoting terrorist activities in Punjab. Sandeep Singh Sidhu allegedly had ties with Pakistan-based Khalistan terrorist Lakhbir Singh Rode and other ISI operatives, reportedly playing a role in the 2020 assassination of Balwinder Singh Sandhu.
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Balwinder Singh Sandhu, a Shaurya Chakra awardee, became a symbol of resistance for his efforts against Khalistani militants during Punjab’s insurgency and for opposing Khalistan referendums led by Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) in the US and Canada.
Times Now reported that Sandeep Singh Sidhu had been promoted to superintendent at CBSA. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) claims that Canada-based Khalistani operatives, including Sunny Toronto and Pakistan-sheltered terrorist Lakhbir Singh Rode, masterminded Sandhu’s murder. It is still unclear whether “Sunny Toronto” is an alias for Sandeep Singh Sidhu.
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At least 26 extradition requests from Indian side
The report comes days after ministry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, at a press briefing, pointed out that at least 26 extradition requests from the Indian side, sent over the last decade or more, were still pending with Canadian authorities.
“There are 26 extradition requests pending with the Canadian side, these are over the last decade or more, along with that, there are several provisional arrest requests, which are also pending with the Canadian side, of certain criminals,” said Randhir Jaiswal.
He added, “We had shared security related information with the Canadian government regarding gang members, including those of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, and requested them to arrest them (criminals)… So far, no action has been taken by the Canadian side on our request.”
The MEA’s statement came against the backdrop of Canadian officials earlier this week accusing Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang of targeting Khalistan dissidents in Canada at the behest of New Delhi.
Jaiswal furthe said, “We find it really strange that now people who we wanted to be deported or action to be taken (against)… we are being told that the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) is blaming the Indian side for crimes committed by these people in Canada.”