A Canadian court has granted bail to the four Indian nationals who were suspected of killing Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. First-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder were the charges brought against the four Indian residents who were accused: Karan Brar, Amandeep Singh, Kamalpreet Singh and Karanpreet Singh.

The British Columbia Supreme Court has taken over the trial, and the next hearing is set for February 11.  Hardeep Nijjar was killed in June 2023 in Surrey, British Columbia. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada accused the Indian government of being engaged in the murder, which brought the issue to international attention. However, India refuted the claims and termed them as "baseless". In May 2024, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) arrested four Indian nationals from different locations in Canada. However, the prosecution faced criticism for delays in presenting evidence during the preliminary hearings.

According to court records, all four men were freed under "stay of proceedings" pending trial. On November 18, 2024, they stood before the Supreme Court in a hearing. Court documents show that all four defendants have a status of 'N', meaning they are "not" in custody. This indicates that the people are not in custody at the moment and may be released on bond or subject to certain restrictions while awaiting additional court hearings. By using a "direct indictment," the Canadian government has moved the case from the Surrey Provincial Court to the Supreme Court of British Columbia. This legal strategy speeds up the case to trial by avoiding a preliminary investigation.

A temporary publication ban has been put in place, requested by the Crown and agreed to by the defence lawyer. This means the public cannot access updates about case management discussions or pre-trial motions during the pre-trial phase. "Some pre-trial motions will be held before the actual trial, but we cannot provide an estimate yet regarding the duration of the pre-trial period," a Prosecution Service official stated. 

The release of the accused is seen as a possible setback for the Canadian government, especially after its strong initial stance against India. Critics argue that delays and insufficient evidence in the case have weakened Canada's position on the issue. The case has further strained diplomatic relations between Canada and India, which are already tense due to the divisive topic of Khalistani militancy. The Sikh community in Canada is divided over Nijjar's murder; some are in favour of his pro-Khalistan views, while others are against them.