RCMP alleges Indian officials in Canada connected to extortion, homicides

The RCMP is alleging Indian diplomats and consular officials based in Canada engaged in clandestine activities linked to serious criminal activity in this country, including homicides and extortions.

The stunning allegations came as the Canadian government announced it was expelling six Indian diplomats the RCMP had identified as "persons of interest" in the murder of a Sikh activist in B.C. last year.

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In what appears to be a tit-for-tat retaliation, India announced it is expelling six Canadian diplomats, including the top two diplomats stationed in New Delhi.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described India's alleged involvement in criminal activity in Canada Monday afternoon as a "deeply unacceptable violation of Canada's sovereignty and of international law."

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Developments Monday mark the latest in an escalating confrontation between India and Canada that kicked off publicly last year when Trudeau said Canada was investigating credible allegations that agents of the government of India were involved in the killing of a prominent Sikh activist.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau participates in a news conference on the investigative efforts related to violent criminal activity occurring in Canada with connections to India, on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Oct. 14, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

In an unexpected and unusual press conference Monday, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme outlined, in broad strokes, the alleged activity of Indian diplomats in Canada.

"Investigations have revealed that Indian diplomats and consular officials based in Canada leveraged their official positions to engage in clandestine activities, such as collecting information for the government of India, either directly or through their proxies; and other individuals who acted voluntarily or through coercion," Duheme told reporters.

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"Evidence also shows that a wide variety of entities in Canada and abroad have been used by agents of the government of India to collect information. Some of these individuals and businesses were coerced and threatened into working for the government of India. The information collected for the government of India is then used to target members of the South Asian community," Duheme said.

The evidence collected by the RCMP was presented directly to officials of the Indian government by Deputy RCMP Commissioner Mark Flynn, Canadian National Security and Intelligence Adviser Nathalie Drouin and Canadian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs David Morrison over the weekend.

Evidence 'cannot be ignored'

Two Canadian officials familiar with the fast-evolving situation say Canada asked that India remove the diplomatic immunity of the implicated officials in Canada so that charges could be laid.

The officials say India said no. Canada then submitted a diplomatic note saying the Indian officials would be expelled.

In response, India announced it was withdrawing High Commissioner to Canada Sanjay Kumar Verma, and other "targeted diplomats and officials."

High Commissioner of India to Canada Sanjay Kumar Verma speaks to reporters during an interview in Ottawa, Aug. 31, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle

One high-level Canadian official tells CTV News that the Indian High Commissioner was told he was a person of interest in the June 2023 murder of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

CTV News is not naming the Canadian officials as they were not authorized to speak publicly on the case.

Trudeau said that the RCMP and national security officials' attempts to work with the Indian government and Indian law enforcement counterparts has been repeatedly refused.

"Let me be clear, the evidence brought to light by the RCMP cannot be ignored. It leads to one conclusion, it is necessary to disrupt the criminal activities that continue to pose a threat to public safety in Canada," Trudeau told reporters at a press conference Monday afternoon in Ottawa.

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"That is why we acted, because we will always, first and foremost, stand for the rights of Canadians to feel safe and secure in their own country," Trudeau said. "We will never tolerate the involvement of a foreign government threatening and killing Canadian citizens on Canadian soil. A deeply unacceptable violation of Canada's sovereignty and of international law."

"Canada fully respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India. We expect the Indian government to do the same for Canada," Trudeau added.

'Preposterous imputations'

Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly said in a statement Monday that six expelled Indian diplomats were all identified by the RCMP as "persons of interest" in the Nijjar murder case.

A photograph of late temple president Hardeep Singh Nijjar is seen on a banner outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Sahib, in Surrey, B.C., Sept. 18, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

The RCMP also says there have been more than a dozen credible and imminent threats to life which have led the police force to warn members of the South Asian community, including specifically members of the pro-Khalistan movement.

New Delhi is refuting the allegations from Canada.

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"We have received a diplomatic communication from Canada yesterday suggesting that the Indian High Commissioner and other diplomats are 'persons of interest' in a matter related to an investigation in that country," reads a statement released by India's Ministry of External Affairs Monday.

"The Government of India strongly rejects these preposterous imputations and ascribes them to the political agenda of the Trudeau Government that is centered around vote bank politics," the statement reads.

The Indian government is claiming Canada has not shared a "shred of evidence" and accused the Trudeau government of a "deliberate strategy of smearing India for political gains."

Later Monday, India announced it had decided to expel six Canadian diplomats, including Canada's acting High Commissioner Stewart Wheeler and Deputy High Commissioner Patrick Herbert.

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The six diplomats have been asked to leave India before Sunday, Oct. 20.

The news of expulsions came after New Delhi announced it had summoned Wheeler, Canada's most senior diplomat in India, to protest the allegations.

Singh, Poilievre respond

The Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has long accused Canada of allowing pro-Khalistan "terrorists" to operate in Canada. The Khalistan movement seeks to create a homeland for Sikhs in the Punjab region.

The high-level Canadian official says in conversations with India over the past weeks, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, a prominent Canadian Sikh politician, was brought up multiple times, with India fighting back against the Canadian allegations by claiming the Trudeau government is biased because of its previous governing arrangement with Singh through the supply-and-confidence agreement.

Singh said his party was "extremely worried" about the information revealed by the RCMP Monday.

"Canadians, particularly the Sikh community in Canada, have been stalked by fear, threats, harassment and violence — including extortion, violence and electoral interference all allegedly at the hands of Indian officials," Singh said in a statement.

"In the interest of protecting Canadians and our country, I urge all leaders to get their security clearance and hold the Modi government accountable and refuse to look the other way," said Singh.

"We support today's decision to expel India's diplomats and we're calling on the Government of Canada yet again to put diplomat sanctions against India in place, ban the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Network (RSS) in Canada, and commit to pursuing the most severe consequences for anyone found to have participated in organized criminal activity on Canadian soil," added Singh.

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Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said in a statement Monday that the allegations made public Monday by the RCMP are "extremely concerning and must be taken very seriously."

"Any foreign interference from any country, including India, is unacceptable and must be stopped. Our government's first job is to keep our citizens safe from foreign threats," Poilievre said, before calling for a full criminal prosecution of anyone involved in the alleged criminal activity.

Poilievre also said Trudeau and his government have failed to take national security and foreign interference seriously, allowing Canada to become a "playground for these activities."

With files from CTV News' Vassy Kapelos and Colton Praill