Surrey temple president denounces Indian reports accusing him of link to Malik’s murder

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The president of Surrey’s Guru Nanak Sikh temple stated Monday that he has contacted his lawyer about Indian information stories speculating that he’s in some way linked to final week’s homicide of Ripudaman Singh Malik.

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Hardeep Singh Nijjar informed Postmedia that he acquired together with Malik and even despatched his son to Khalsa Faculty, of which Malik was a founder and long-time director.

But a number of Indian information stories have repeated allegations that Nijjar is a separatist extremist linked to crimes in India, and quoted Indian intelligence officers suggesting a hyperlink to the Malik homicide.

Nijjar’s New York lawyer, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, stated Monday that he couldn’t but touch upon any actions he would possibly tackle his consumer’s behalf.

However he stated Nijjar “is being vindictively focused and accused of crimes solely based mostly on dissenting political beliefs.”

“Since Nijjar is organizing the Khalistan Referendum marketing campaign in Canada, the Indian authorities needs to make use of its assets to close down his voice,” stated Pannun.

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Malik, a controversial group chief and acquitted Air India bombing suspect, was shot to demise Thursday about 9:30 a.m. as he arrived on the Surrey workplace of his Papillon firm in a plaza on 128th Avenue.

The Built-in Murder Investigation Workforce has urged the general public to not speculate a couple of motive within the high-profile killing.

Investigators later launched video of a white Honda CRV circling the constructing 80 minutes earlier, with the suspected killer or killers inside. The automobile was present in flames minutes after Malik was killed in what has turn out to be a trademark of gangland slayings on the Decrease Mainland.

Inside a day, information stories in India speculated Nijjar might need been concerned, quoting Indian intelligence sources.

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India has alleged Nijjar is a Canadian chief of the Khalistan Tiger Pressure that has been liable for terrorist assaults in India. He has denied all such allegations and even wrote to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2016 claiming he’s being persecuted due to his help for a separate Sikh nation.

Some have additionally recommended Malik could have been focused as a result of he and affiliate Balwant Singh Bhandher had organized to have the Guru Granth Sahib — the Sikh holy guide — printed exterior of India with out acquiring permission of the Akal Takht, the faith’s highest authority.

However Nijjar stated he doubted the difficulty had something to do with Malik’s killing. In actual fact, his temple management was requested to select up the holy books and a printing press from the house of  Bhandher nearly two years in the past.

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“The Sri Akal Takht already dealt with all the things,” Nijjar stated. And he stated all of the Canadian gurdwara (temple) councils have been united on the difficulty of the holy books. “That was not my situation solely.”

Nijjar stated he has obtained no formal discover of any extradition proceedings associated to the allegations made towards him in India regardless of common Indian information stories levelling accusations towards him.

“I’m dwelling right here since ’97. I didn’t return to India,” Nijjar stated. “I’m working laborious as a plumber and on the temple. … I’m a group servant, proper?”

He stated Malik and his associates would typically attend companies on the Guru Nanak temple. “All people involves the temple … all people locally.”

And Nijjar stated he has by no means had any dispute or situation with Malik, a former Sikh separatist who wrote to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January to thank him for resolving some excellent Sikh grievances and to voice help for a united India.

He stated Malik was broadly revered due to his function as a founding father of each the Khalsa Credit score Union and Khalsa Colleges.

Requested about his response to Malik’s homicide, Nijjar stated, “I used to be very shocked. He was a superb character locally.”

Prayer companies for Malik are being held all week at two Surrey Khalsa Colleges.

kbolan@postmedia.com

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