A Canadian border agency officer, Sandeep Singh Sidhu, who had been wanted by India on charges of terrorism, has been officially cleared by his employer, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). Sidhu, also known as Sunny Toronto, was reinstated in his position with the agency after an internal review.
The Indian government accused Canadian border police officer, Sandeep Sidhu for allegedly abetting terrorist activities and murder of a Shaurya Chakra awardee in Punjab. India had even included Sidhu in its list of fugitives seeking his deportation. He was charged for alleged associations with the banned International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), Khalistani terror groups, and Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI.
According to the Indian authorities, Sidhu was further connected to the 2020 assassination of Balwinder Singh Sandhu, who was awarded the Shaurya Chakra, in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district. The allegations depict Sidhu as a key player in the assassination plan and justified an international manhunt.
Canadian Response
Even though the allegations presented were serious, the lawyers for Sidhu stated that the Canadian government should have made better representation in light of the claims presented by the foreign government. They argue that India launched a hostile disinformation campaign against Sidhu and the Canadian authorities failed to respond better to it.
As a response, the CBSA initiated an internal investigation and eventually cleared his slate. Allegations framed against him by India notwithstanding, Sidhu has been reinstated to his position in the CBSA, where he continues to serve to this day.
Diplomatic Row Between Canada And India
Relations between the two countries have worsened after the murder of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada publicly accused Indian agents of involvement in Nijjar’s killing but has failed to provide concrete evidence in proof of these claims. This decision has come at a time when diplomatic tensions between Canada and India have increased.
The tension between both nations spilled over into the Sidhu case, where both nations were accusing the other of complicating the probe by such politically motivated actions. However, while there is controversy about Canada’s position regarding Sidhu, the continuing diplomatic row between the two nations brings a whole new dimension to the issue.
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