Canada Arrests Inderjeet Singh Gosal

Inderjeet Singh Gosal, a close aide of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, was arrested by Canadian authorities on multiple charges including possession of arms, and extremist activities. Gosal gained influence in the US-based Khalistani outfit Sikhs for Justice after the fatal death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada in 2023.

The arrest coincides with efforts by both India and Canada to rebuild relations under the leadership of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, after ties soured during former PM Justin Trudeau’s tenure.

The arrest also comes after the recent talks in India between NSA Doval and his Canadian counterpart Nathalie Drouin, with India sharing dossiers with Ottawa mentioning financial links and operational evidence associating Gosal to Pannun.

“This is confirmation that Khalistani networks in Canada remain active extensions of banned outfits. The fact that Ottawa has now moved on actionable intelligence provided by India shows a clear policy recalibration," sources told News18.

According to a Firstpost report, officials stated that Gosal was a key figure in organising Khalistan referendum campaigns in Canada and even served as Pannun’s personal security officer. Khalistani referendum demands of an independent Sikh state — Khalistan.

This marks Gosal's second arrest within a year, as per media reports. In November 2023, Gosal had been detained in connection with a violent incident at a Hindu temple in the Greater Toronto Area, where he allegedly assaulted Hindu-Canadian worshippers, before being released on certain conditions.

Pannun, a dual US-Canadian national with roots in Punjab, was designated an "individual terrorist" by India’s Ministry of Home Affairs in July 2020, a year after Sikhs for Justice was outlawed.