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

Canada Detains Khalistani Terrorist Inderjit Singh Gosal, Key Associate of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun

Inderjit Gosal is regarded as Pannun's principal lieutenant

Ottawa:

Canadian authorities have apprehended Khalistani terrorist Inderjit Singh Gosal, a prominent associate of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Following Hardeep Singh Nijjar's death in June 2023, Gosal emerged as a significant Canadian organizer for the US-based Khalistani organization Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).

Reports indicate Gosal was taken into custody in Ottawa on several firearms possession charges. The arrest occurred shortly after India and Canada recently committed to fostering a collaborative approach toward renewing bilateral relations, including enhanced cooperation against terrorism and transnational criminal activities.

Second Detention Within A Year

This marks the 36-year-old's second arrest by Canadian authorities within a year. In November last year, he was detained following a violent confrontation at a Hindu temple in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), where he allegedly assaulted Hindu-Canadian devotees. The Peel Regional Police (PRP) subsequently granted him conditional release.

At that time, officials identified Gosal as the main organizer of the purported Khalistan referendum campaign in Canada.

Pannun's Principal Lieutenant

Gosal is recognized as the right-hand man of Khalistani terrorist Pannun, who leads Sikhs For Justice (SJF), an organization banned in India. He has also functioned as Pannun's personal security officer (PSO).

Pannun, who holds dual US-Canadian citizenship, originally comes from Punjab. India's Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) designated him an "individual terrorist" in July 2020, a year after his organization was classified as a terrorist entity by the Indian government.

Authorities have filed over 100 cases against SFJ and Pannun, approximately 60 of which are in Punjab alone.

Improvement In India-Canada Relations

The arrest coincides with India and Canada's resumption of normal diplomatic operations last month through the reappointment of their respective high commissioners to Ottawa and New Delhi.

This action represents a significant shift from Canada's previously permissive stance toward separatist groups operating within its borders under the guise of free expression.

On Thursday, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and his Canadian counterpart Nathalie Drouin conducted comprehensive discussions in New Delhi, focusing on repairing bilateral relations that deteriorated severely following diplomatic tensions over Nijjar's killing in 2023.

Prior to this, in June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during the G7 summit at Kananaskis, Canada. During their meeting, both leaders agreed to pursue "constructive" measures to restore stability in India-Canada relations.

India-Canada diplomatic ties reached their lowest point following then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's 2023 allegations suggesting a possible Indian connection to Hardeep Singh Nijjar's killing.

In October last year, India recalled its high commissioner and five other diplomats after Ottawa attempted to implicate them in the Nijjar case. India reciprocated by expelling an equal number of Canadian diplomats.

However, Liberal Party leader Carney's electoral victory in April has facilitated the process of diplomatic reconciliation.