Why Khalistani Terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar Entered Gurudwara Politics: Sources

India has responded to Canada's "credible allegations" - that "agents of Delhi" were involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen - by revealing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government had failed to act despite being given evidence of his crimes.

This information had been shared "countless times", a senior Home Ministry functionary told NDTV on Friday, adding the Canadian government had "never once taken any notice" of the material.

India had hunted Nijjar for a decade and also secured a Red Corner Notice from Interpol.

Nijjar had over a dozen charges of murder and terrorist activities against him in India, but Canadian authorities "did not take any action, except putting him on a no-fly list", the official explained.

Canada also failed to act on the Interpol's notice, the official said.

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NDTV has seen the file on Nijjar that was shared with Canada. It says Nijjar landed in Canada in 1997 using a fake passport in the name of Ravi Sharma. He applied for asylum claiming persecution in India because he belonged to "a particular social group - individuals associated with Sikh militancy".

The request was rejected on the grounds of a "fabricated narrative". Eleven days later he entered into a 'marriage' agreement with a woman who sponsored his immigration. This was also rejected since she had also only just arrived - sponsored by her 'husband'.

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The ministry official said Nijjar then appealed to Canadian courts claiming to be a citizen of Canada.

He was later granted citizenship but the circumstances of this are still not clear, the official said.

READ | Hardeep Singh Nijjar: Khalistani Terrorist At Centre Of India Vs Canada

Intelligence agencies believe Nijjar acquired Canadian citizenship and ventured into gurudwara politics - he reportedly "forcefully" became president of the gurudwara in British Columbia province's Surrey in 2021 - to protect himself from Interpol and prevent his extradition.

That presidency was reportedly gained by threatening his cousin, Raghbir Singh Nijjar.

An official told NDTV Nijjar then assumed the role of Operations Chief at the banned Khalistan Tiger Force after another terrorist, Jagtar Singh Tara, was deported to India in 2015.

The National Investigation Agency has registered several cases against Nijjar; these include an Interpol notice for raising terror modules in Canada involving Mandeep Singh Dhaliwal.

Nijjar was also associated with Sikhs For Justice, another banned terrorist organisation.

An official told NDTV Nijjar had organised several violent anti-India protests in Canada and openly threatened Indian diplomats. He had also demanded Indian embassy officials in that country be banned from participating in programmes organised by gurudwaras across Canada.