The trial for the murder of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar could begin in 2028, as pre-trial proceedings are expected to continue over the next 18 months.
“Trial dates have not been set yet,” Ann Seymour, acting communications counsel for the British Columbia Prosecution Service, said in response to queries from HT.
“There are currently pre-trial applications scheduled through to early 2028,” she added.
All four accused in the case are scheduled to make their next court appearance for a case management conference on July 16. The pre-trial proceedings are taking place at the New Westminster Law Courts in the province.
The four accused in the Nijjar case, Karan Brar, Kamalpreet Singh, Karanpreet Singh and Amandeep Singh, are under mandatory detention orders and are in holding facilities and they will remain there till the trial commences. They are also Indian nationals.
Pre-trial applications were earlier expected to continue till August this year.
A publication ban remains in place with regard to submissions or any materials presented during all case management, pre-trial conferences and applications.
Brar, Kamalpreet Singh and Karanpreet Singh were arrested from in and around Edmonton in May 2024. Amandeep Singh was charged days later while he was in custody of the Peel Regional Police or PRP. He was arrested in November 2023 on nine charges including those related to unauthorised possession of a firearm and possession of a controlled substance.
Amandeep Singh made his first court appearance on May 15, 2024, while the others appeared before a judge on May 7. May 21 was the first time all four appeared together in a court. All four are facing charges related to first degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder
The four accused have been charged with allegedly being involved in the murder of Nijjar on June 18, 2023. That crime led to relations between India and Canada cratering after then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated in the House of Commons three months later that there were “credible allegations” of a potential link between Indian agents and the murder. India had described those accusations as “absurd” and “motivated.”
