Canada clears PM Modi, Jaishankar and Doval of Nijjar murder plot

The Canadian government stated on Friday clarifying that it has no evidence linking Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi or his senior officials to the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The statement comes after a Canadian newspaper alleged, citing an unnamed national security official, that Union Home Minister Amit Shah orchestrated Nijjar's killing with Modi’s knowledge.

The report acknowledged that Canadian authorities lacked direct evidence to support the claims. It further suggested that the allegations risked being misinterpreted as baseless speculation.

In response, the Canadian government distanced itself from the claims. "The government of Canada has not stated, nor is it aware of the evidence, linking Prime Minister Modi, Minister Jaishankar, or NSA Doval to serious criminal activity within Canada. Any suggestion to the contrary is both speculative and inaccurate," the statement read.

Relations between India and Canada have been under strain since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of involvement in Nijjar's killing last year. India dismissed these accusations as “absurd” and retaliated by expelling Canadian diplomats, while Canada made similar moves.

The Ministry of External Affairs in India reacted sharply to the latest report, with spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal calling it "a ludicrous smear campaign" designed to further damage diplomatic ties. He added, "Such speculative reporting based on unnamed sources deserves to be dismissed outright."

Nijjar, designated a terrorist by India, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Canada in June 2023. The case has since become a point of contention in India-Canada relations. Despite the diplomatic fallout, the lack of direct evidence against India’s top leadership could pave the way for a more tempered resolution.