As Prime Minister Mark Carney heads to India this week for trade talks, police have warned a Canadian Sikh leader about a “credible threat” to his life.
Moninder Singh, who heads the Sikh Federation of Canada, said a member of the Vancouver Police Department delivered the caution on Sunday.
The tip about the threat came from a confidential informant, the officer told Singh, whose wife and children were also deemed to be at risk.
The Sikh activist, who lives in Surrey, B.C., shared an audio recording of the police visit, as well as a photo of the officer’s business card, with Global News.
“From time to time, the VPD conducts what is called a ‘Duty to Warn’ when we receive information regarding a threat to someone,” a police spokesperson said.
“I can’t comment on if any ‘Duty to Warn’ incidents happened over the weekend as there would be an ongoing criminal investigation associated.”
Police did not share any further details but Singh believes it is the latest attempt by the government of India to silence its Canadian opponents.
in 2022, Singh and fellow activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar were the first to receive a duty to warn notice. Nijjar was gunned down the following year, allegedly by the Indian government.
Since then, police have warned Singh periodically about new threats against him but last weekend’s was the first to include his family.
Since he is not a business person like those typically preyed upon by India’s extortion gangs, he suspects he is being targeted because of his activism.
Singh is an outspoken critic of human rights in India, and an advocate of the Khalistan movement that supports independence for India’s Sikh-majority Punjab.
The RCMP has previously linked such threats to the Indian government, and Singh believes that is also the case for this latest caution from police.
“India uses criminal syndicates, gangs in Canada, to carry out their dirty work for them,” he said. “India taps them and then they go out and carry these political assassinations out.”
“So I feel like the reason why they’re targeting me, for my political expression, my support for a Sikh homeland, Khalistan, or unveiling India’s horrible human rights record, I think it comes back to India.”
Carney's India visit a 'slap in the face'
For Singh, the incident has underscored concerns that Carney is re-engaging with India without regard to the safety of Canada’s large Sikh community.
Under pressure to diversity Canada’s trade partners amidst U.S. President Donald Trump’s unpredictable tariffs, Carney has turned to India.
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But national security officials have reported that the government of India is behind foreign interference, disinformation and transnational repression in Canada.
The RCMP believes the Indian government has collaborated with the Bishnoi gang to attack political opponents, notably Nijjar, who was killed outside a Surrey Sikh temple in 2023.
Gang leader Lawrence Bishnoi and his Canadian lieutenant Goldy Brar allegedly carried out the killing for India. The crime group is also partly responsible for the current extortion crisis in Canadian cities.
Following Nijjar’s murder, the FBI uncovered a similar plot by an Indian intelligence officer to kill Canadian lawyer and activist Gurpantwant Singh Pannun in New York.
Then, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme accused India of orchestrating a broader array of violent crimes, prompting Canada to expel six India diplomats in October 2024.
Indian diplomats and agents were engaging in “clandestine activities” such as collecting information on members of Canada’s South Asian community, he said.
“This information is shared with senior levels of the Indian government, who then direct the commission of serious criminal activities against Indo-Canadians through the kinetic use of Lawrence Bishnoi’s organized crime network,” National Security Advisor Nathalie Drouin testified.
“Bishnoi is currently in jail in India, and he is able to order these actions through his gang, which has extensive criminal networks in India and internationally,” she said.
“Serious crimes committed in Canada include homicides, assassination plots, perpetrated extortions and other extreme violence.”
At the same time, Canada’s foreign interference inquiry called India the “second most active country engaging in electoral foreign interference in Canada.”
In an interview on Monday, Singh said he had received no assurances from Canadian officials that those issues had been resolved, or that India had promised to stop.
Deepening ties with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government without having dealt with the underlying national security threats was premature, he said.
“There’s a lot of unfinished business,” Singh said, adding that many Canadian Sikhs felt betrayed to see Carney and his officials meeting their Indian counterparts.
“It’s a bit of a slap in the face of the Sikh community that we have all these ongoing issues and we’re talking to a country that’s behind all of that.”
“We’re not holding them accountable in any which way.”
'Proof lies on the accuser,' Indian diplomat says
Throughout Canada’s various disclosures of India’s actions, New Delhi has denied them and put the blame on former prime minister Justin Trudeau, while claiming it needs to see evidence before taking action.
“The burden of proof lies on the accuser, not on the accused,” Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Patnaik told Global News in an interview on Monday.
Patnaik vowed that if such evidence surfaced, India would take action, even if it implicated senior officials in Modi’s government.
He said he had no response to latest Canadian Security Intelligence Service annual report, which referred to India’s role in the Nijjar murder.
The killing signalled “a significant escalation in India’s repression efforts against the Khalistan movement and a clear intent to target individuals in North America,” CSIS wrote.
“I cannot say anything about it,” said Patnaik, who replaced the previous high commissioner expelled from Canada for his role in violence against Canadians.
“Same way when we have our own report, it says that Canada supports separatist movements in India, that Canada support Khalistani movement in India,” he said.
“That’s the way our agencies look at it.”
Asked about extortions by Indian nationals working for India-based crime groups such as the Bishnoi gang, he said that was Canada’s problem.
An RCMP report released to Global News under the Access to Information Act said the Bishnoi gang was “acting on behalf of the Indian government.”
“You have to deal with it. If you start pointing fingers outside, that’s a different matter. It’s very easy to point fingers outside,” the high commissioner said.
True Sikhs are not sword wielding bandits like you’re trying to portray them. Their whole edict handed down by their gurus is to protect those who can’t protect themselves and work in the service of public welfare. The kirpan, or the sword as you called it is, I’d only afforded to them by the gurus strictly as a tool of self-defense or to protect others. Don’t let the actions of an extremist fringe taint your views on a truly noble community
The air India bombing told me all I needed to know about Sikh culture
Now.the extort in Surrey and Toronto
It’s a sword wielding culture
I.cant believe they can carry swords in school
It’s a lost cause. The campaign run by a handful of disgruntled Sikhs want to create anarchy in a foreign country from inside Canada. Their rottenness is out in the open now as the two countries forge ahead.
But the million dollar question is why is Global pandering to extremists? Who runs it? Who funds it? Obviously this channel has hidden agenda which only goes to show the kind of world we live in.
It is open secret canadian activists openly were canvassing along with Rahul Gandhi during his padayatra before parliament elections. It is funny they call Indians as getting involved in canadian elections. Still no justice has been done by canada for the innocent victims of the AIR india flight bombing and shielding the terrorists.
They voted Carney and the Liberal government so what more do they expect
Canada has been fueling Khalistan based separatist movement for decades, thousands of Indians have died due to the Khalistani terrorists. How many times has Canada arrested those people including their ex-PM for abetting murder in India??
Any crime or open extortation to horrendous crime commited by any canadian of any decent can expect a reply under defensive offence.If USA can go and kill osama bin ladens why should india not use the same rights.
Such a biased and disgusting news outlet. Spreading lies and baseless claims. No wonder Canada is going down and down. At least Carney has some sense left in him!
Its funny global keeps calling these pp activists.. grow up and read up on some history and stop pushing your narratives…the world is not that stupid.
The ringleaders aren’t even indian citizen, they now hold canadian citizenships and cannot go to India themselves because they’ve already been designated as terrorists with extradition requests being ignored by the Canadian government. They are trying muster up the more recent immigrants to carry out their plans.
If this Indians wanted aKalistan in India then go there and fight for it, you are just a bunch of crook, and you come to Canada and bring your ways which are violent, laziness, lies, just go back home to India and leave us alone,
I agree with the India commissioner, also most activists work with in the country where they wanted some changes,,
These are not Sikh activists. These are Khalistani activistis that support, have supported and have been linked to terrorist activities.
Canada-circling the bowl. Where are all the real Canadians.
If they want a separate state then why don’t they go to India. If you are Canadian then why do you want a separate state in India. It’s like Canadians living in India and demanding a separate step in Canada. How does that make sense? No country is going to sit idol if someone abroad is doing this! Either you are Canadian or Indian
Very timely news.
Santa Singh was at a bar in New York. Man on his right says Johnny Walker single. Man to the left says Jim Beam single. Santa Singh says “Santa Singh Married”
They aren’t “Canadian opponents” to India’s policies. They are the opinions if individuals who live in Canada. Only the federal government speaks for Canada.
If khalistani separatist want to fight then why they are afraid to die, face the problem.
If you want khalista then go to India and fight for khalistan, not saying outside of India and fight.
If you guys are brave then go back to India and fight against Indian government.
You guys hiding in canada and don’t have dare to go to India.
It’s all just make up stories, nothing else.
You came to Canada for a reason. If khalistan is that important to you then your reason for being here is what?
if you want khalistan then go to India and ask for there, have your referendums there, or whatever else you want to do for it do it there, anything else is just a show, and making a fool of yourselves.
Such a grand distraction! Covering all the useless air miles that carney spews and all the immigration garbage of this regime. Sorry Chicken Con Carney, you fool no one.
This western hypocrisy at its finest, the country that branded citizens of its own province traitors for asking for a separation and meeting with high officials from another country and crying about foreign interference, also refuses to tackle the issues of it’s own citizens aligned with groups with violent track records also undermining the sovereignty of another country, trying break it up while sitting across the oceans. And for the person calling India a terrorist country, I would ask you to read a few books on global history, every major terror activity including 9/11across the world finds its roots in not India, but the military dictatorship across it’s border that to this day is functioning only because it’s fostered and funded by the western agendas
Why are we ( Real & generational) Canadians, letting these cultures influence our life .. this is not an issue in 1990 , why is it now ? Wake up , start the vetting process now before nothing is left but a dirt pile. Christians built this country, more importantly Christians sacrificed & died for our freedoms, not any other religion period…so no sicks r welcome to speak for Canadians or my family. We dont wear head dress , we are neutral & representing our nation to other nations dam well better not have some indian hat on , because we cant find 1 of those hats in ww1 or ww2 ..thats why …..start the vetting & removal process asap. Im not against any religion, but yr personal beliefs must be 2nd to our nation if yr representing this country. In your family life wear what you like. Dress as a Canadian if yr representing Canada.
I was jogging in the park and saw what looked like a colourful, exotic bird; so naturally curious went close to inspect and guess what it’s a turban man a turbanator sitting amongst the bushes.
Hopefully PM Carney has been advised against importing corruption and lawlessness from India in his zeal to court India. While it is difficult to ignore India, Canada needs to be mindful of the negative implications of doing business with them, including export restrictions.
What do western nation do to their traitor.kill them. Why single out India.
All this news is propaganda and hide the real notorious and illegal activities of these so called khalistanis
We can see this article getting stormed by Indian bots.
Shake on Carney to engage with a terrorist nation like India for the sake of scoring Trade deals. They have made a mockery of Canadian law enforcement and their investigation. Carney is making a big blunder which Canadians will have to pay for.
Seems this whole article is agenda driven paid by khalistani activists..
Such a one sided and miss informed journalism
People like mr Singh who feel free to engage in foreign political interference for a cause nobody in India cares about or advocates for should go back to India for their fight. No need to involve Canada
“Speaking of cowards and fascists. The biggest one around here. I tell people to “come get me” but I don’t tell them what my address is or where to meet me”
But but Mr Troll, you said you were pounding on my door…
A case of man bites dog?
If I had a penny for everytime Steward Bell came out with a bogus article about this topic conveniently close to when Canada and India are engaging i’d be a millionaire. Who pays you to write such shoddy hit pieces masquerading as news Mr. Bell?
The main agenda is to breed the white out canada.
Looking for more truckers and bramptonians
These handful of sicks (sikhs) are probably aided by Pak isi covertly. Canada is too lenient to investigate. They all probably came here in early 80’s as refugees. They harbor deep hatred towards India especially Hindus. They try to brainwash their children and they grow up to be radicals. These jokers should realize that it’s a lost cause just like the Tamils in Lanka.
I’m not okay with this. We have enough problems with extremism in our country without picking a team in a fight that’s never gonna happen on the other side of the world
Who cares? Canada should hand over these terrorists to be tried in their country.
Unless and until Canadian government bring to justice the perpetrators of Kanishka bombing and hand over that is extradite al those wanted by the Indian government, India should not make any trade deal with Canada.
Global News seems to be funded by these Khalisthani separatists and terrorists.
This article seems like a propaganda more than news. Didn’t expect Global to stoop so low.!
Why is Mr. Singh, a Canadian citizen interested in splitting India or engaging in terrorist activities against India ?
Osama Bin Laden did the same against America and he was labeled a terrorist.
You know that it’s a federally funded arms length situation. Right? Like I know you far right folks believe in controlling the medias every word, but that’s not how it actually works.
If these Sikhs are Canadian citizens they should mind their own business ess in Canada and not interfere in Indian matters.
How much money is Global News getting to
Publish these? Is it really worth compromising your brand?
Why different opinion for similar ideology? On one hand, we attack Iraq and Afghanistan to track one ideology while we publish news about other in our national newspapers.
Why double approach?
I love Canada to the core, but I respect sovereignty of every nation. All nations have right to protect their sovereignty and their citizens.
One separatist can lead to big bloodshed of any country’s citizens. Will we be okay with it? If the blood is not Canadian, we don’t care?
Horrible journalism
So the police care about warning this guy, but do nothing to protect a community from a mass shooter who was on their radar.
Completely biased reporting. Global news needs a better class of Journalists.
As a sovereign nation, Canada must protect all its citizens from violence coming from foreign facist regimes like India.
Speaking of cowards and fascists. The biggest one around here. I tell people to “come get me” but I don’t tell them what my address is or where to meet me
Please take your violence back to India
Sihk terrorist you mean
The author who has written this is clearly biased and distorts the facts. India is always one country. If these activists want a piece of land, carve it up from Canada, since they live here for so long time.
This is all false propaganda of global news and the other canadian news papers . they don’t want Canada to have good relationship with India
ALL BLUFF
If one immigrates to Canada, leave all the foreign political baggage behind. They should not be trying to run a Sikh Federation of Canada.
Which is worse, trying to influence foreign issues, or foreign gangs (or leadership) attacking them? We want neither. If you want to continue to be East Indian, then go home.
Canada first please. Please come here to progress Canada not some back home agenda.
Please come here to become Canadians not just reestablish your old broken society inside the one you have just joined.
Thank You
There are too many K@#$TAN*I sympathizer all across Canada. Whenever this country goes for building better relations , better future this morons comes up with all shorts of news , updates etc. including media houses (Global News Leading This Propaganda Machine) . End of the day those people are no less than a t$55ri%%t – so please serve your country and not this goons please.
Could care less. Both are nothing burgers. Carney is doing his usual flights of fancy and these guys bring their wars wherever the go cause really, they are too cow*rdly to take it back to India where it belongs and deal with it there! Nothing will change as long as the elbows up crowd or cow*rds and fasc*sts supports this Liberal regime.
Trial delayed for man accused in B.C. anti-SOGI tractor chase
My god , this seems to be taking a lot of time , I would like to see some proof of the judge being sick… far too much hog wash with these people
Bunch of looser who are making journalism a shameful professional – without any shred of proof and yet making these articles
So increasing trade with China, and now India. Just last year Carney himself, said that ” China was greatest threat to Canadian sovereignty”, and it seems India is not far behind. But hey, Ipsos poll say Canadians are more worried US invasion from bogeyman Trump.