Agents working at the Indian High Commission in Ottawa and consulates in Vancouver and Toronto were behind dozens of violent crimes across Canada targeting opponents of the Modi government, Global News has learned.
Although they held diplomatic and consular posts on paper, Indian agents played key roles in a spate of shootings, killings, threats, arson and extortion in Canada, according to highly placed sources familiar with the matter.
Most of the victims were supporters of the Khalistan movement, which seeks independence for India’s Sikh-majority Punjab region. Others were merely rivals of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, sources said.
Canadian government Announce On Monday, it expelled six Indian diplomats and consular officials “in connection with a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by agents associated with the Indian government.”
To isolate themselves from their participation in the operation, Indian diplomats used coercion, and sometimes cash payments, to persuade community members to gather information about their targets in Canada.
The images and intelligence they gathered were sent to their handlers at Indian diplomatic missions in Canada. Organized crime groups, particularly Lawrence Bishnoi’s Indian gang, were then tasked with carrying out the violence.
The Indian High Commissioner, Sanjay Kumar Verma, allegedly supervised the scheme. Another diplomat based in Ottawa, as well as two consular officials in Toronto and two others in Vancouver, are allegedly involved.
A typical scenario involves the embassy or consulates withholding visas to community members in Canada who need to travel to India. Victims are told they can obtain a visa, but must obtain it by carrying out missions for diplomats.
These tasks include attending Sikh temples and collecting information about what time individuals leave their homes for work each morning.
Among the incidents that police have linked to the Indian government’s plot are everything from the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nigar in Surrey, British Columbia, to the recent shooting on Vancouver Island that saw 14 bullets fired into the home of a Punjabi singer.
Over the weekend, the RCMP notified India that its diplomats are persons of interest in its investigations and asked New Delhi to waive their diplomatic immunity so they can be questioned.
India responded by releasing A statement On Monday, the Prime Minister accused Justice Trudeau of playing politics.
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At a news conference in Ottawa hours later, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duhem told reporters that investigators had linked Indian government agents to “serious criminal activity in Canada” that poses a “significant threat to public safety.”
“Investigations revealed that Indian diplomats and consular officials residing in Canada exploited their official positions to engage in covert activities, such as gathering information for the Government of India, either directly or through their agents; and other individuals who acted voluntarily or under duress,” Duhem said.
“The evidence also shows that a wide range of entities in Canada and abroad have been used by agents of the Government of India to collect information. Some of these individuals and companies have been coerced and threatened to work for the Indian government,” he said.
“The information collected is then used for the Government of India to target members of the South Asian community.”
It is not unusual for a country to appoint intelligence agents to an embassy or consulate under diplomatic cover. But it would be unusual for them to be involved in crimes in their host country.
It is also illegal, but before charging alleged agents, Ottawa must ensure they are not protected by immunity granted to foreign diplomats and consular staff.
In this case, Canada appears to have decided not to prosecute the matter and instead treat it as a diplomatic incident.
The Canadian government could also ask India to prosecute the suspects, or refer the case to the International Court of Justice, for criminal activity that violates international law and Canadian sovereignty.
These allegations indicate the Indian government’s strategy to target prominent members of the international Khalistan movement, as well as those who were only marginally supportive, as well as others with whom the Modi government was at loggerheads.
India has repeatedly denied the allegations and on Monday described the allegation that its High Commissioner and other diplomats were involved as “unbelievable.”
But an RCMP commissioner said a multidisciplinary team was created in February 2024 to investigate and coordinate the threats posed by the scheme and associated crimes.
“The team has learned a great deal of information about the breadth and depth of criminal activity organized by Indian government agents, and the resulting threats to the safety and security of Canadians and individuals living in Canada,” he added.
“Despite law enforcement actions, damage has continued, posing a serious threat to our public safety. We have reached a point where we felt it was necessary to confront the Indian government and inform the public of some very serious findings revealed through our investigations.
“The RCMP hopes to address these threats through our relationship with the Government of India and the National Investigation Agency with the ultimate goal of enhancing the safety and security of the Canadian public and the South Asian community.”
Stewart.Bell@globalnews.ca
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