India 'convicted' before investigation completed’: Indian envoy on Canada's allegations over Nijjar's killing

India's High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma insists India was "absolutely" and "decidedly" not involved in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. Trudeau's allegations of Indian involvement were rejected as "absurd" and "motivated". Verma said India was "convicted" before investigation completion. India presented evidence of criminal activity to Canada via Interpol. Talks between both governments are constructive, improving ties.

India was “absolutely” and “decidedly” not involved in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada and Ottawa has "convicted" New Delhi even before the completion of the investigation, India's High Commissioner here Sanjay Kumar Verma has said.

Mr. Verma's remarks came during an interview with CTV News, Canada's largest privately owned television network.

Canada and India witnessed strains in ties following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations in September of the "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Nijjar on June 18 in British Columbia. India had designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020. India has rejected Mr. Trudeau's allegations as "absurd" and "motivated".

During the interview which will be aired on Sunday, Mr. Verma was asked why India was not cooperating with Canada in the investigation. To this, he said, "...even without an investigation being concluded, India was convicted. Is that the rule of law?" Mr. Verma asked.

When asked how India was convicted, Mr. Verma replied: "Because India was asked to cooperate. And if you look at the typical criminal terminology, when someone asks us to cooperate which means that you have already been convicted, and you better cooperate. So we took it in a very different interpretation. But we always said that if there is anything specific and relevant, and communicated to us, we will look into it. And that had been said from day one. So we have never said, of course, we have not used the word cooperate, because we feel that's humiliating. But we have always said, that gives us something specific and relevant, and we’ll look into it," he added.

Mr. Verma insisted India was “absolutely” and “decidedly” not involved in the killing of Nijjar in Canada.

"And what we have said at that time as well, that this is a motivated and absurd allegation. And this is still an allegation. Whether we call it a credible allegation, that's the choice of word, but it's an allegation. So from the Indian government’s side, I can assure you and your viewers that there was no government hand in the shooting of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil, as it is always called," he said.