Indian envoy claims Canada has not provided evidence in Nijjar investigation

Canada has not shared a “shred of evidence” with India in the case relating to the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Ottawa’s charges against Indian diplomats are “politically motivated”, New Delhi’s envoy to Ottawa Sanjay Kumar Verma has said.

In an interview to Canadian broadcaster CTV that was aired on Sunday, October 20, he also rejected Ottawa’s charge of the Indian government’s involvement in targeting certain individuals in Canada.

“We needed to see some evidence on the basis of which we can converse with our Canadian counterparts. Unfortunately, not a shred of evidence has been shared with us. Any evidence shared has to be legally acceptable,” Verma said.

Asked about the allegations levelled against him by the Canadian authorities, the Indian envoy strongly denied any involvement in the Nijjar case.

The ties between India and Canada hit rock bottom after Canada linked Verma and some other Indian diplomats to the case.

Outrightly rejecting the charges, New Delhi on Monday announced recalling High Commissioner Verma and five other diplomats from Ottawa while expelling six Canadian diplomats from India.

On its part, Canada said it expelled the Indian envoy and five other diplomats.

The Canadian authorities also accused Indian agents of involvement in “homicides, extortion and violent acts” targeting pro-Khalistan supporters. India has trashed the charges.

Verma said India is a country of rule of law and anything acceptable in the Canadian court of law would also be acceptable in the Indian court of law and therefore evidence will work.

“Unfortunately we have not got anything from Canadian officials which can lead us to a better spot,” he said.

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In the interview aired on Sunday, while replying to a question, Verma said he condemns Nijjar’s murder. “Any murder is wrong and bad. I do condemn and that is what I have said in many interviews. Let’s get to the bottom of the issue.”

The diplomatic row intensified after the Canadian authorities described Verma and some other Indian diplomats as “persons of interest” in the probe into the killing of Nijjar.

Asked about some Canadian officials wishing to visit India to share evidence in the case, he said they wanted to leave for India on October 8 and provided the completed visa application form that day only.

“Visas needed to be affixed for any delegation,” he said, adding “for any government delegation to travel to another country, you need an agenda to go by. There was no agenda at all”.

“There was no agenda shared with us. Agenda was shared at the last minute, I believe, after the flight would have departed,” he said.

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“I think it was pre-planned. They knew that visas cannot be issued in half an hour or in an hour and therefore they did it. I think it was absolutely politically motivated,” Verma said.

The Indian high commissioner said India has been asking for evidence in the case.

“In fact, we have been asking for (evidence for) the last one year, which the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) has also said,” he said.

“And then if you do not share with us the reason for your visit, how do we know?” Verma said.

He strongly denied the allegations against him.

“I, as the High Commissioner of India, have never done anything of that kind,” Verma said.