Former Indian High Commissioner to Canada Sanjay Verma has reiterated India's long-standing position that allegations linking the Indian government to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar were unsupported by credible evidence.

Speaking to ANI, Verma said India consistently rejected the accusations from the beginning, describing them as politically motivated and lacking any legal basis.He maintained that New Delhi's stance has remained unchanged throughout the controversy.

Verma referred to recent developments in the United States, where federal prosecutors announced indictments under 'Operation Hard Ball' targeting members of an organised crime network allegedly involved in extortion, contract killings and narcotics trafficking across North America and Europe.

According to him, the US investigation concluded that Nijjar's killing stemmed from a gang rivalry between criminal factions and did not implicate the Indian government, Indian officials or diplomats.

He also cited remarks attributed to a senior Royal Canadian Mounted Police official stating that no Indian state entity or diplomat had been charged in connection with the case.

Commenting on the diplomatic fallout, Verma said that initial allegations made by former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attracted global attention because of his position, but argued that, over time, scrutiny by various countries weakened those claims.

He further stated that India has, for decades, expressed concerns to Canada about Khalistani extremist activities, recalling that such concerns date back to the 1985 Air India Flight 182 bombing.Verma added that India has repeatedly sought extradition of wanted individuals from Canada without success.

The article notes that the recent US indictment focuses on organised crime networks and does not mention any involvement of the Indian state, a development presented as significant in the ongoing discussion surrounding the Nijjar case.