'Did not receive consular access request,' says India over arrests in Canada over Nijjar killing case

India's Ministry of External Affairs,reacting to the fourth arrest made by Canadian authorities in Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar's killing, said that New Delhi has seen the reports of the person being arrested, but Ottawa has not formally conveyed of it.

"We have seen reports of the fourth person being arrested. We have not been formally conveyed of it. So far, we have not received any consular access request as well," said MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Friday (May 17).

The Canadian police said last week that they had arrested a fourth suspect over his alleged involvement in India-designated terrorist Nijjar's killing.

#WATCH | Delhi: On 4th Indian arrested by Canada in Nijjar murder, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, "We have seen reports of the 4th person being arrested. We have not been formally conveyed of it so far... We have not received any consular access request as well..." pic.twitter.com/xIVjUJypBM — ANI (@ANI) May 17, 2024

As per the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) in British Columbia, the main accused identified as Amandeep Singh aged 22 was already in the custody of Peel Regional Police in Ontario over unrelated firearms charges.

"IHIT pursued the evidence and gained sufficient information for the BC Prosecution Service to charge Amandeep Singh with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder," the police statement said.

‘Never received relevant info from Canada,’ says Jaishankar

Foreign Minister S Jaishankar earlier said the Canadian authorities have not shared any data with India that is relevant enough to be investigated by New Delhi following the reports of the fourth arrest in the case.

"I also read that another arrest has been made...We have long maintained that if any event or violence in Canada has any evidence or information that is relevant to be investigated in India, we are open to investigating it. To date, we have never received anything specific or worthy of being investigated by our investigative agencies...," Jaishankar said.

The diplomatic ties between India and Canada witnessed an all-time low after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused New Delhi of having a role in the killing of Nijjar, who was shot dead outside a Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on the evening of June 18, 2023.

However, India has strongly rejected the allegations, calling them "baseless" and "absurd".

(With inputs from agencies)