Indian officials said on Tuesday that at least nine separatist organizations supporting terror groups currently have bases in Canada. Despite multiple deportation requests by India, Ottawa has taken no action against those involved in heinous crimes, including the killing of popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, the officials added.

According to the officials, pro-Khalistani organizations including the World Sikh Organisation (WSO), Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), and Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), which serve Pakistan's interests, have purportedly been operating freely from Canadian soil.

The remarks came amid a brewing diplomatic crisis between the two countries over the death of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday linked Indian authorities to the July killing, prompting a furious rejoinder from New Delhi.

The sources further stated that the accusations made against India by the Canadian government and lawmakers about the killing of Khalistani terrorists and Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar are untrue and founded on conjecture.

In numerous diplomatic and security discussions, Indian authorities have brought up the matter of deporting wanted terrorists and gangsters; however, the Canadian authorities have remained uncommitted and brazen in their support of these terror elements, the sources added.

Multiple dossiers have been handed over to the Canadian side but India's deportation requests have gone unaddressed, they said, adding at least nine separatist organizations supporting terror groups have found their bases in Canada.

According to the officials, eight terrorists and as many gangsters who have been working with Pakistan's ISI have found refuge in Canada.

They said that deportation requests for these people -- including Gurwant Singh who was involved in terrorist activities in the early 1990s -- have been pending with the Canadian authorities for years now. An Interpol Red Corner Notice is also pending against him.

The officials said Indian authorities had requested the deportation of Gurpreet Singh, who is also involved in terror cases and provided his Canadian address but no action was taken.

They claimed the Canadian government had received a request for the deportation of notorious gang members, such as Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dalla, who is wanted in 16 criminal cases, and Satinderjit Singh Brar alias Goldy Brar, who claimed responsibility for the murder of well-known Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, along with evidence against them.

The separatist organizations were openly issuing assassination threats, fuelling separatists' agenda, and carrying out targeted killings in India, they said.

They pointed out that high profile assassination of popular singer Sidhu Moosewala by the Canada-based gangster with affiliations to pro-Khalistan elements "is a classic example of this".

Other Canada-based wanted terrorists are Gurwant Singh Bath of the Dashmesh regiment of Khalistan, Bhagat Singh Brar (who is the son of Pakistan-based terrorist Lakhbeer Singh Rhode), Moninder Singh Bual, Satinder Pal Singh Gill, they said.

Diplomatic ties between Canada and India have become increasingly strained in recent months following the assassination of Nijjar and subsequent demonstrations in Canada. The Sikh leader was wanted by Indian authorities for alleged terrorism and conspiracy to commit murder.

Nijjar name figured in the most wanted list handed over by then-Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2018.

According to the officials, Nijjar and criminals like Arsh Dalla were raising enormous sums of money for anti-Indian operations through a variety of channels, including narcotics money and funding from Gurdwaras.

They claimed that the expulsion of an Indian diplomat appears to be intended to win over the support of the Sikh population, particularly those who harbour pro-Khalistan sentiments and that Canada's current diplomatic standoff with India appears to be driven by domestic political failures and the current government's declining popularity.

The officials also pointed out that support for extremist elements and gangsters in Canada is deeply linked with the political realities that influence the vote bank in various Sikh-dominated constituencies.

They cited the involvement of Jagmeet Singh Dhaliwal, a Member of Parliament from Burnaby South and member of the New Democratic Party of Canada, who has been an outspoken advocate for the Khalistan referendum that seeks a Balkanisation of India and fuels separatist sentiments amongst Canadian Sikhs.

Dhaliwal was earlier placed on black list for his anti-India activities.

The officials argued that there was no direct evidence linking Indian authorities to Nijjar's murder, and they cited the murder of another Canadian citizen, Ripudaman Malik, who had drawn the ire of Nijjar and Sikhs for Justice for supporting the printing of the Shri Guru Granth Sahib by Satnam Religious Prachaar Society (SRPS). A few days later, he was killed by unidentified gunmen.

According to the officials, internal rivalry between different groups was a factor in Nijjar's murder.

Image source: Reuters