There is a possibility of another new dispute arising between India and Canada regarding Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. In fact, India’s investigation agency NIA has been asking for Nijjar’s death certificate for a long time, but Canada has not provided it yet.
India has declared Hardeep Singh Nijjar a terrorist. On June 18 of last year, Nijjar was shot and killed outside a gurudwara in Surrey, British Columbia. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had alleged the involvement of Indian agents in this murder. India has completely rejected these allegations.
Nijjar had Canadian citizenship and India had declared him a terrorist in 2020. Nijjar was also the leader of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). Apart from this, he was also close to Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu.
Why does the NIA need a death certificate?
The NIA, which is investigating Nijjar’s cases, has been requesting his death certificate from the Canadian government for almost six months.
The Indian Express quoted an official as saying that two cases are being investigated against Nijjar and his death certificate is needed to complete the documentation work. Once the documentation work is completed, it will be presented in the Delhi court.
Why is Canada hesitant?
The NIA had requested Nijjar’s death certificate from the Canadian government under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT). But instead of giving his death certificate, Canada is questioning the NIA itself.
News agency ANI quoted NIA sources as saying that the Canadian government has asked the agency the reason for requesting Nijjar’s death certificate. The Canadian government has asked the NIA to clarify why it wants Nijjar’s death certificate.
What is this MLAT?
There has been a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) between India and Canada for many years. The way extradition treaties between two countries work. MLAT is also similar.
Under this treaty, both countries can demand legal documents related to each other’s criminals, investigation-related information, evidence, their properties, location, and many other types of documents.
However, if a country considers that giving any information or document may endanger its sovereignty, security or even the safety of that person, it can also refuse. Apart from this, if a country feels that providing any information or document may affect the ongoing investigation or trial against that person in that country, then it can also be rejected on this basis.
Article 7 of this treaty says that a country can send a copy of any document to another country. However, if a country wants your original copy, it must also hand it over and request its return.
Who was Hardeep Singh Nijjar?
Nijjar was the head of Khalistan Tiger Force. He was living in Canada for the last few years and from there he was fueling Khalistani terrorism against India. According to intelligence sources, Nijjar had in the last year become an even bigger headache for Indian investigative agencies because he had started providing overseas logistics and money to agents of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
When Trudeau visited India in 2018. At that time, the then Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had given him a list of Khalistani terrorists, in which Nijjar’s name was also included.
The Union Home Ministry had declared Nijjar a terrorist in 2020. In 2010, an FIR was registered against him for the bomb blast outside a temple in Patiala. Police were looking for him for many cases, including inciting violence and promoting terrorist activities. The Government of India had declared Hardeep Singh Nijjar as a designated terrorist. The NIA had also declared a reward of Rs 10 lakh on him.
