NEW DELHI: Canada has refuted media reports which stated that the four Indian nationals accused of murdering Sikh Canadian Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023 had been released from custody after the case against them fell apart.
"It is not true that the four accused have been released on bail," Ann Seymour of the BC Prosecution Service told CBC News. "All four accused were detained, and they continue to remain in custody."
The next court appearance is a pretrial conference on February 11, and they will also appear in court on February 12.
The statement comes after several media reports stated that the four individuals charged with the murder of NIA-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar have been released from custody.
The reports cited documents filed by Canada's department of justice.
What media reports said
The accused — Karan Brar, Karan Singh, Amandeep Singh, Kamalpreet Singh, and Karanpreet Singh — were charged with murder and conspiracy in connection with Nijjar’s killing on June 18, 2023.
Court documents show the status of the accused as “not in custody,” marked with an "N." The news of their release came days after former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's resignation.
Nijjar murder case
The incident took place in the parking lot of a Gurdwara in British Columbia's Surrey, where Nijjar, who led the Khalistan Tiger Force, was fatally shot in what has been described as a "contract killing."
A video of the incident, which reportedly surfaced in March 2024, showed armed men attacking Nijjar as he exited the Gurdwara.
Nijjar’s killing has been at the center of strained diplomatic relations between India and Canada. Trudeau had alleged a possible involvement of Indian government agents in the murder, a claim India has consistently denied, calling it “absurd” and “motivated.”
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