Canada expels Indian diplomats after tying government agents to ‘serious criminal activities’

Canada on Monday announced the expulsion of six Indian diplomats, including the High Commissioner, after police investigations linked Indian government agents to killings, intimidation and other “acts of violence” against Sikh separatists in the country.

“Global Affairs Canada today announced that six Indian diplomats and consular officers have been served notices of deportation from Canada in connection with a targeted campaign against Canadian citizens by operatives associated with the government of India,” said a statement shared by the department . led by Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly.

The extraordinary move has sharply escalated diplomatic tensions between the countries, with India in response quickly expelling six Canadian diplomats, including the acting High Commissioner, Stewart Ross Wheeler, according to an Indian Foreign Ministry statement.

The Indian government has called the allegations “ridiculous” and said it is withdrawing the officials expelled by the Canadian government. “There is a deliberate strategy to smear India for political gain,” the statement added on Monday. “The smears about (High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma) are ridiculous and deserve to be treated with contempt.”

Earlier on Monday, the Royal Canada Mounted Police (RCMP) took the unusual step of making public details of multiple investigations into the involvement of Indian government agents alleged to have participated in “serious criminal activity” in Canada.

The decision to make the investigations public was made “due to the significant threat to public safety” and after efforts to address the issue with the Indian government failed to produce satisfactory results, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme told reporters.

Duheme said that since September last year there have been “well over a dozen credible and imminent threats” to the lives of members of the South Asian community, and in particular the “pro-Khalistan movement”, referring to a separatist movement among followers of the South Asian community. Sikh Independence.

“Despite law enforcement measures, damage has continued, posing a serious threat to our public safety,” Duheme said.

He added that the RCMP had found evidence of violent extremism affecting both Canada and India; links binding agents of the Indian government to killings and “acts of violence” in Canada; organized crime targeting Canada’s South Asian community; and interference in democratic processes.

“Investigations have revealed that Indian diplomats and consular officials based in Canada used their official positions to carry out clandestine activities such as gathering information for the Government of India either directly or through their proxies; and other individuals who acted voluntarily or under duress,” he said.

“The information collected for the Indian government is then used to target members of the South Asian community,” Duheme added.

— This is a developing story and will be updated.

For more CNN news and newsletters, create an account at CNN.com