Canada Arrests Khalistani Terrorist Inderjit Singh Gosal, Close Aide Of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun

Khalistani terrorist Inderjit Singh Gosal, a key aide of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, has been arrested in Canada. Gosal became a key Canadian organiser for US-based Khalistani outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) after the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023.

He was reportedly detained on multiple charges related to firearms possession in Ottawa. His arrest came shortly after India and Canada last week agreed to adopt a collaborative approach towards a new chapter in bilateral ties, including working closely to combat terrorism and transnational crimes.

Second Arrest Within A Year

This is the second time the 36-year-old was arrested by Canadian police in under a year. He was taken into custody last year in November in connection with a violent incident at a Hindu temple in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), where he allegedly attacked Hindu-Canadian worshippers. However, he was granted a conditional release by Peel Regional Police (PRP).

At the time, officials said Gosal was acting as the principal organiser of the so-called Khalistan referendum in Canada.

Pannun's Right Hand Man

Gosal is considered as right-hand man of Khalistani terrorist Pannun, the designated terrorist and chief of Sikh For Justice (SJF), a banner organisation in India. He has also served as Pannun's personal security officer (PSO).

Pannun, a dual US-Canadian citizen, originally hails from Punjab. He was declared an "individual terrorist" in July 2020 by India's Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), a year after his organisation was declared a terrorist outfit by the Indian government

Authorities have registered more than 100 cases against the SFJ and Pannun, of which around 60 are in Punjab alone.

Thaw In India-Canada Ties

The move came as India and Canada resumed their normal diplomatic operations last month by reappointing their high commissioners to Ottawa and New Delhi, respectively.

It is seen as a notable departure from Canada's earlier permissive outlook towards separatist groups operating on its soil under the cover of free speech.

On Thursday, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and his Canadian counterpart Nathalie Drouin held wide-ranging talks in New Delhi with a focus on repairing the bilateral relations that came under severe strain following a diplomatic spat over the killing of a Sikh separatist Nijjar in 2023.

Before that, in June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney on the margins of the G7 summit at Kananaskis in Canada. In the meeting, both leaders agreed to pursue "constructive" steps to restore stability in India-Canada ties.

India-Canada relations hit rock bottom following then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations in 2023 of a potential Indian link to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

In October last year, India recalled its high commissioner and five other diplomats after Ottawa attempted to link them to the Nijjar case. India also expelled an equal number of Canadian diplomats.

However, Liberal Party leader Carney's victory in the parliamentary election in April helped in beginning the process to reset relations.