'The Washington Post' report accuses Amit Shah of authorising attacks on Sikh separatists
New Delhi: Canadian and US reports have alleged that India's Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, authorised intelligence-gathering operations and attacks on Sikh separatists in Canada. These allegations emerged following Canadian police's purported collaboration with the US in gathering evidence. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau cited "clear and compelling evidence" of Indian involvement in covert actions targeting Sikh separatists.
According to The Wire, which referenced a report from the Washington Post, Canadian officials provided this evidence to the Indian government, implicating Shah and a senior official from the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). The information was shared during a confidential meeting between Canadian officials and India’s National Security Adviser, Ajit Doval, in Singapore on 12 October.
The report claims that the evidence is based on texts and conversations involving expelled Indian diplomats, though the accuracy of these details remains uncertain. Canada had previously requested the lifting of diplomatic immunity for further questioning, a request that India denied, resulting in the expulsion of six diplomats, including India’s High Commissioner to Canada.
This escalation follows Trudeau's earlier accusation that Indian agents were involved in the June 2023 killing of Khalistan advocate Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Initially, Trudeau cited "credible intelligence" but has since expressed stronger confidence in the claims.
The latest accusations involving Shah suggest a higher level of involvement within the Indian government. Indian officials have yet to respond, and former diplomats have voiced surprise at the idea of a senior minister being directly involved in such operations. Some retired intelligence officers have also questioned whether these activities fall within Shah’s jurisdiction.
The allegations draw parallels to previous accusations against Shah, notably from his tenure as Gujarat’s home minister, where he faced charges over extrajudicial killings. He was later acquitted after Narendra Modi became prime minister.
Canadian authorities are believed to have gathered more evidence, potentially with US assistance, linking the Indian government to an assassination plot targeting a Khalistan advocate in New York. The alleged plot has led to charges against an Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, for attempted murder.
Canada has also accused India of outsourcing attacks on Sikh separatists to criminal gangs, including the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
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Bengaluru: Four arrested for housebreaking, threats, extortion; fake PSI among accused
Bengaluru: Vidyaranyapura police have arrested four persons, including a man posing as a Police Sub-Inspector (PSI), for allegedly breaking into a house, threatening the occupants, and extorting money while wearing police uniforms.
The arrested accused have been identified as Mallikarjuna, Pramod, Vinay, and Hrithik.
Police said the accused had hatched a plan to pose as police personnel, conduct fake raids, and extort money from residents by intimidation.
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According to the police, Mallikarjuna had failed the PSI examination twice and later falsely projected himself as a PSI. He allegedly conducted photo shoots in his hometown, Siraguppa, wearing a police uniform, baton, cap, and shoes, claiming to be serving as a PSI in Bengaluru.
On December 7, the four accused allegedly went to the house of Naveen in the Vidyaranyapura limits, threatened him with a stick and an iron rod, and claimed they had information that he was selling ganja. Under the pretext of searching, they allegedly extorted ₹87,000 through bank transfer, ₹53,000 in cash kept in the house, and ₹2,000 from his wallet.
Following Naveen’s complaint, Vidyaranyapura police registered a case and launched an operation, leading to the arrest of all four accused. Police have seized ₹45,000 in cash and the car used to commit the crime.
Further investigation is underway.
