New Delhi: In a press briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal revealed that India currently has 26 extradition requests pending with Canada, alongside several provisional arrest requests targeting individuals wanted for terrorism-related offenses. These requests include members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, specifically naming Gurjeet Singh, Gurjinder Singh, Lakhbir Singh Landa, and Arshdeep Singh Gill, all of whom have been implicated in criminal activities across Canada over the past decade.
Addressing the ongoing diplomatic rift between India and Canada, Jaiswal criticized the Trudeau government’s “baseless allegations” against India, emphasizing that Canada has not acted on the extradition requests despite clear evidence of criminality. He expressed concern over the intimidation faced by Indian-origin individuals in Canada, citing attacks on journalists by pro-Khalistani elements as instances of growing violence and extremism.
Jaiswal further noted that while Canada has made serious accusations against India, it has yet to provide any supporting evidence. He indicated that the Trudeau administration’s actions appear to be politically motivated, suggesting a pattern of behavior aimed at smearing India.
As the situation evolves, Jaiswal stated, “Certain actions lie in the domain of the Canadian government and certain in India’s domain,” and emphasized the need for further developments in the bilateral relationship. He also rejected the Canadian government’s claims linking Indian diplomats to the investigation of the killing of Indo-Canadian Hardeep Singh Nijjar, asserting that no information has been shared by Canada since allegations surfaced in 2023.
