Member of Modi's inner circle behind Canadian criminal plot, official says

A senior official in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is alleged to have authorized a campaign to intimidate or kill Canadians, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs David Morrison told MPs Tuesday.

Morrison joined other senior officials testifying before MPs on the public safety and national security committee. MPs on the committee are asking questions about the RCMP's shocking claim two weeks ago that agents of the Indian government were complicit in widespread crimes in Canada, including murder, extortion and intimidation.

Conservative MP Raquel Dancho, the party's public safety critic, led off the hearing with questions about information the  Canadian government shared with the Washington Post.

The newspaper reported that Canadian officials identified Indian Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah as one of the senior officials who authorized intelligence-gathering missions and attacks on Sikh separatists in Canada.

"The journalists called me and asked me if it was that person. I confirmed it was that person," Morrison said.

Shah has been described as India's "second most powerful man" and is one of Modi's closest confidants. 

Before Tuesday, Canadian officials would only state on the record that the plot could be traced back to the "highest levels of the Indian government."

RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme also testified Tuesday. He has said police evidence shows Indian diplomats and consular staff collected information for the Indian government, which was used to issue instructions to criminal organizations to carry out acts of violence in Canada.

He said the Mounties also have assembled evidence of credible and imminent threats to members of the South Asian community, specifically members of the pro-Khalistan movement seeking a separate homeland for Sikhs.

On Thanksgiving Monday, the federal government announced it had expelled six Indian diplomats — including the high commissioner, India's chief envoy to Canada. India has denied the accusations and swiftly retaliated by kicking Canadian diplomats out of its territory.

Duheme said police have warned 13 Canadians since September 2023 that they could be targets of harassment or threats by Indian agents. Police say some of those individuals have received multiple threats.

Duheme told CBC he believes those people are safer since the Indian diplomats were expelled.

India has denied working with criminal organizations to target Sikh separatists in Canada and has accused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of having a "political agenda" behind the allegations.