Leader Of Sikh Separatist Group Arrested On Canada Gun Charges

The leader of Sikhs for Justice in Canada was arrested on a dozen firearms charges, two years after his predecessor was gunned down in British Columbia and the case sparked a geopolitical rift with India.

Inderjeet Singh Gosal, 36, was arrested Friday and charged with crimes including illegal possession and careless use of a prohibited handgun for purposes dangerous to the public peace, in Oshawa, Ontario, according to a copy of the charge sheet seen by Bloomberg News. Two other men were also charged alongside him.

Gosal had replaced Hardeep Singh Nijjar as a primary organizer of Sikhs for Justice in Canada, a group that petitions and campaigns for a state independent from India called Khalistan. Nijjar was shot and killed in Surrey, BC, in June 2023. Four men allegedly linked to the crime are in custody awaiting trial.

In a statement, Sikhs for Justice said Gosal’s arrest is “in fact a case about the Canadian government’s duty to protect the life of a Canadian citizen.” Gosal told Bloomberg News earlier this month Canadian authorities had repeatedly warned him his life was at risk, and he declined an offer of witness protection.

Sikhs for Justice is banned in India and Indian media outlets described Gosal as a “terrorist.” The group is not designated a terrorist organization in Canada and it asserts its activities are peaceful and legal.

Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sparked a political rift in 2023 when he said Canada was investigating credible links between Nijjar’s killing and agents of the government of India, a feud that escalated to the expulsion of diplomats from each respective country. 

Trudeau’s successor Mark Carney has taken steps to repair that relationship, inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Group of Seven conference on Canadian soil in Kananaskis, Alberta, in June, appointing new chief diplomats to reestablish diplomatic channels, and working on sharing information about cross-border crimes. 

Canada’s national security adviser, Nathalie Drouin, traveled to India and met with her counterpart, Ajit Doval, on Thursday. She said in a statement they discussed their respective security concerns and committed to non-interference including refraining from transnational repression.

Gosal was not immediately available for comment. Ontario’s Attorney General did not immediately respond to a request for comment.