New Delhi: Canada’s Royal Canadian Mounted Police on Monday claimed that “agents of the Indian government” use criminals – specifically referring to the Bishnoi gang – to target the “South Asian community… particularly pro-Khalistani elements” in that country.
The allegation, levelled by RCMP Commissioner Mike Duhaen and his deputy Brigitte Gauvin, comes as a sharp escalation in a row that has been brewing since Ottawa last year accused “agents” in Delhi of involvement in the killing of Canadian citizen and Khalistani militant Hardeep Nijjar.
“It (the Indian government) is targeting the South Asian community… but they are specifically targeting pro-Khalistani elements in Canada. What we have seen from the RCMP’s perspective is that they use organised crime elements,” Ms Gauvin told reporters. “It has been publicly attributed to and claimed by a particular crime group – the Bishnoi gang. We believe this group is linked to agents of the Indian government.” When specifically asked if “agents of the Indian government” were being accused of “murder, extortion, intimidation and coercion”, Mr Duhem replied “yes”. Mr Duhem and Ms Gauvin further claimed that some Indian diplomatic staff collude with organised crime elements to “collect information on Canadian citizens – through questionable and illegal means… (which is passed on to criminal organisations) who then carry out violent actions ranging from extortion to murder”. India has strongly rejected what it calls “absurd allegations”, including one levelled by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accusing New Delhi of “supporting criminal activity against Canadians” and “coercive behaviour targeting South Asian Canadians”.
India also said that since the allegations were first levelled, the Trudeau administration has “not shared a shred of evidence with the Indian government despite multiple requests…”
The foreign ministry also rejected Ottawa’s claims that Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma and his five staff are “persons of interest”. All six have been expelled after Canada claimed continued non-cooperation by Delhi in its investigation.
Hours after the RCMP officers’ press conference, Mr Trudeau spoke to reporters and emphasised the allegations against the Indian government.
“I think it’s clear that the Indian government made a fundamental mistake in thinking they could support criminal activity against Canadians on Canadian soil. Whether it’s murder or extortion or other violent acts, it’s absolutely unacceptable,” he said.
The allegations coincide with a decline in support and a drop in popularity ratings; last week they survived a second parliamentary confidence vote just ahead of the 2025 election.
India and Canada have launched a second round of expulsions of diplomats, although Delhi later said it was recalling its officials due to security concerns. Delhi expelled Canada’s acting high commissioner Stewart Wheeler and his deputy.
On the expulsion of its diplomats, Delhi said, “Sanjay Verma is India’s most senior serving diplomat”, and criticised a “strategy to malign India for political gain”.
The Bishnoi gang, led by Lawrence Bishnoi from his prison cell in Gujarat’s Sabarmati jail, has fast become one of the country’s most dreaded criminal organisations.
It also has a base in Canada, where gangster Goldy Brar lives.
With its vast network, the Bishnoi gang has carried out several murders so far; the most recent was that of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddiqui.
In India, the gang is known for its involvement in murders and arms smuggling and extorting money from high-profile targets like Punjabi singers, liquor mafia, other prominent businessmen. As per reports, its activities are carried out by an army of around 700 assassins.
With inputs from agencies
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