Canada Accuses India of Criminal Activity Amid Escalating Tensions; India Rejects Them As Trudeau’s ‘Political Agenda’

In a fresh showdown, Canada on Monday has levelled new allegations against India, accusing it of "serious criminal activity" on its territory and in collaboration with with the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang. This marked a significant escalation in the already strained relations between the two nations. Brigitte Gauvin, Assistant Commissioner of Federal Policing and National Security with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, stated in a press briefing on Monday that India is reportedly targeting pro-Khalistani elements in Canada by leveraging organised crime groups, especially the Bishnoi gang.

“India is targeting South Asian community but they are specifically targeting pro-Khalistani elements in Canada. Just to preserve the integrity of the investigations carried out by our police, we will not be providing any details but what we have seen is, from an RCMP perspective, they use organised crime elements. It has been publicly attributed and claimed one organised crime group in particular - Bishnoi Group...We believe that the group is connected to agents of the Government of India,” said Brigitte Gauvin, the officer.

This came days after the recent killing of Baba Siddique, a former Maharashtra minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader, who was shot dead in Mumbai on Saturday night. According to Mumbai Police members of the Bishnoi gang were allegedly involved in the shootout, investigation now revealing that not Baba Siddique but his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique could have been the target.

Bishnoi, 31, is currently serving time in Gujarat’s Sabarmati jail on drug charges. Despite his incarceration, he has been linked to a series of high-profile murders, including that of Punjabi singer Siddhu Moosewala in 2022 and Karni Sena chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi in 2023. He is also accused of orchestrating shootings outside the homes of Canadian singers A P Dhillon and Gippy Grewal.

India has strongly rejected the claims, calling them “preposterous imputations" and “political agenda" of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government before an election. Following the claims of the officers, Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau too issued a press statement accusing New Delhi of "supporting criminal activity against Canadians" and "coercive behaviour targeting South Asian Canadians on “Canadian soil.

Meanwhile in further development, Canada announced the expulsion of six Indian diplomats on Monday, citing a "targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by agents associated with the Government of India." This move coincided with India's decision to expel six members of the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi. Tensions between the two countries have been escalating since last year when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed to possess evidence linking Indian agents to the assassination of a Sikh separatist leader in Canada.