New Delhi: The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) claims to have found no evidence against their officer Sandeep Singh Sidhu, who is wanted by India for “promoting terrorist activities” in Punjab and also for the 2020 murder of Shaurya Chakra awardee Balwinder Singh Sandhu, who fought militancy in the state in the ’80s and ’90s.
In an email to ThePrint Thursday, the CBSA said, “The CBSA can confirm that we have no evidence to support the allegations made in these articles”, referring to news reports on Sidhu.
“All CBSA employees are subject to background checks and reviews prior to their employment, periodically throughout their career and in response to allegations that call into question their reliability,” the mail added.
The CBSA had earlier confirmed that Sidhu was an officer with them, stating that applicants have to undergo extensive interviews and security checks to join the agency. They also have to undergo “telephone integrity interview, a credit check, and law enforcement and security database verifications”, it said.
The agency’s defence of Sidhu comes at a time when relations between India and Canada are in a tailspin following the deaths of Canadian citizens and Sikh separatists Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Sukhdool Singh alias Sukha Duneke.
Sources in the government said that apart from extradition requests, other requests for provisional arrests are also pending with Canada.
“This list also includes Sandeep Singh Sidhu’s name,” the source said.
Sidhu worked with Bhindranwale nephew
According to Indian investigating agencies, Sidhu, a Canadian national, works with Pakistan-based Lakhbir Rode, who is the nephew of radical Sikh preacher, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
A source said Sidhu had conspired and given funds to gangster Sukh Bhikhariwal, then based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to kill Balwinder Singh Sandhu at Bhikhiwind, Patti, Punjab, in October, 2020.
Sukh Bhikhariwal, sources said, is believed to be in Dubai.
A case was registered in connection with Sandhu’s death under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections for murder, criminal conspiracy, sections of the Arms Act, and under stringent sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The case was transferred to the NIA in 2021.
Last week, the NIA told the Supreme Court that the conspiracy to kill Sandhu was hatched by operatives with the banned terror outfit Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF).
Sidhu, who is currently a CBSA superintendent, lives in Abbotsford, British Columbia. The NIA dossier also says that he has links with Sikh separatist Gurjot Kaur.
As per Indian agencies, Sidhu is also a member of the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) which is reportedly banned in India, Australia, Japan, the US, and Canada.
(Edited by Tikli Basu)