Canada has officially denied it has any evidence to link PM Modi, foreign minister S Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval with the murder of pro-Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, distancing itself from a Canadian media report earlier this week that quoted an anonymous security official to suggest that all three shared culpability for the crime.
India had described the Globe and Mail report as ludicrous, while warning Ottawa that such smear campaigns will further damage the already strained ties.
“On Oct 14th, because of a significant and ongoing threat to public safety, the RCMP and officials took the extraordinary step of making public accusations of serious criminal activity in Canada perpetrated by agents of the govt of India,” Canadian NSA Nathalie Drouin said in an official statement.
“The govt of Canada has not stated, nor is it aware of evidence, linking Prime Minister Modi, Minister Jaishankar, or NSA Doval to the serious criminal activity within Canada. Any suggestion to the contrary is both speculative and inaccurate,” the official said.
Canada had last month accused Union home minister Amit Shah of masterminding attacks on Sikh separatists and Canadian nationals in the country. India had described the allegation as absurd and warned Canada that “unfounded insinuations” will have serious consequences for the bilateral relationship.
Canada’s RCMP on Oct 14 had alleged involvement of Indian high commissioner and other Indian diplomats in criminal activities, leading to their expulsion by the Canadian govt. India, however, maintains that it recalled the officials.
A report appeared in the Globe and Mail earlier in the week, based apparently on an intelligence assessment shared by an anonymous security official, saying Modi might have been aware of the plot to eliminate Nijjar.
