Pro-Khalistan Leader Nijjar's Accused Killers Appears In BC Court: What’s Next In June Hearing?

Three of the four accused in the killing of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar appeared in person before a court in British Columbia on Tuesday, while the fourth accused appeared virtually. All four will continue to be detained until the next hearing in June.

This marked the first appearance of all four individuals, who are Indian nationals, before the BC provincial court in Surrey. Karan Brar, 22, Kamalpreet Singh, 22, and Karanpreet Singh, 28, all from Edmonton and currently held in BC, were present in person before the judge, as reported by Hindustan Times. Meanwhile, 22-year-old Amandeep Singh, who is in custody in Ontario, appeared virtually.

Nijjar Murder Accused Appear in BC Court

Judge Emmet Duncan presided over the hearing and set the next court date for June 25, as reported by the Surrey Now Leader. The prosecutor explained that the adjournment was due to "disclosure obligations," meaning that material related to the cases against the defendants needed to be provided to their lawyers.

As with their previous court appearances, pro-Khalistan supporters gathered outside the courthouse, displaying anti-India signs and separatist flags.

Amandeep Singh made his first court appearance on May 15, while the other three appeared before a judge on May 7. Tuesday was the first instance where all four appeared before a judge simultaneously. They are all facing charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

Amandeep Singh was already in the custody of the Peel Regional Police (PRP) when he was named in the Nijjar case, having been arrested in November 2023 on nine charges, including unauthorized possession of a firearm and possession of a controlled substance.

The other three were arrested in and around Edmonton on May 3 and subsequently brought to British Columbia for the trial. Canadian investigators have not yet announced any link to the Indian Government in relation to the murder. However, on May 3, Assistant Commissioner David Teboul, Commander of the Federal Policing Program in the Pacific Region, stated that "separate and distinct investigations" were ongoing, including those "investigating connections to the Government of India." The following day, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that the investigations were "ongoing."

The killing of Nijjar on June 18 in Surrey, British Columbia, significantly strained India-Canada relations. This tension was exacerbated by Trudeau's statement in the House of Commons three months later, alleging "credible allegations" of a potential link between Indian agents and the murder. India responded by labelling these charges as "absurd" and "motivated."