Toronto: Amandeep Singh, a 22-year-old Indian national, made his first court appearance on Wednesday for his alleged role in the killing of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Singh, arrested on March 11, faces charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. He appeared virtually before a provincial court in British Columbia from a holding facility in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
Singh’s trial, scheduled for May 21, will coincide with the court appearances of Karan Brar, Kamalpreet Singh, and Karanpreet Singh, who were arrested earlier in Edmonton. Reports indicate that Singh was allegedly one of the two gunmen involved in Nijjar’s killing on June 18, 2023, in Surrey, British Columbia.
At the time of his arrest, Singh was already in custody on charges related to unauthorized firearm possession and controlled substance possession. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) announced Singh’s arrest, stating they had gathered sufficient evidence to charge him.
Canadian authorities have not linked the murder to the Indian government, though investigations are ongoing. In May, Assistant Commissioner David Teboul noted that separate probes were exploring potential connections to the Indian government. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed that investigations continue.
Nijjar’s murder strained India-Canada relations, following Trudeau’s allegations in the House of Commons about possible Indian involvement. India dismissed these claims as “absurd” and “motivated,” with India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa, Sanjay Kumar Verma, describing the arrests as an “internal” Canadian matter.
