‘Not hard evidence, just intelligence...’: Justin Trudeau's big admission on Hardeep Singh Nijjar murder

Justin Trudeau made the admission before Canada's foreign interference probe panel.

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday admitted that his government hadn't provided India “hard evidence” to prove Indian agents' alleged involvement in the murder of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau takes part in public hearings for an independent commission probing alleged foreign interference in Canadian elections in Ottawa. (Reuters)

Appearing before Canada's foreign interference probe panel, Trudeau admitted that when his government communicated the allegations to the Indian side, the Canadian authorities only had intelligence, not hard evidence.

"Over the course of summer, I was apprised by intelligence services that the (Indian) government was involved in the killing of Nijjar. There was not an obvious immediate international nexus. In August, intelligence from Canada and The Five Eyes made it clear that India was involved...agents from India were involved (in the alleged crime) on Canadian soil... We told them we have real concerns that your security agencies are involved. India's response to our investigation was to double down on attacks against our government," he told the inquiry.

"We told India it is not hard evidence but it is just intelligence at that point...India undermined our government and governance...These were clear indications that India had violated our sovereignty," he added, reported ANI.

Canada said this week that several senior Indian diplomats were "persons of interest" in the Nijjar murder probe.

Reacting to the allegation, India recalled its senior diplomats from Canada and expelled six Canadian diplomats from New Delhi.

"Canadians who are opponents of the Modi government, their information was passed to the Indian government at the highest level and then the information was directed through criminal organisations like the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, resulting in violence against Canadians. We wanted to question Indian diplomats but they did not waive their diplomatic immunity which is why we had to ask them to leave," he claimed.

Canada has accused Indian officials of being involved in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023. India has categorically rejected the claim and has asked for evidence substantiating the grave allegations.

New Delhi maintains that Canada hasn't provided any evidence proving India's involvement.

On Monday, New Delhi accused Trudeau of being hostile to India.

"Prime Minister Trudeau’s hostility to India has long been in evidence. In 2018, his visit to India, which was aimed at currying favour with a vote bank, rebounded to his discomfort. His Cabinet has included individuals who have openly associated with an extremist and separatist agenda regarding India," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

With inputs from ANI