November 22, 2024: The Canadian government has strongly rejected claims that it has linked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to criminal activities within Canada. The statement comes in response to recent reports alleging such connections, particularly in relation to the death of Hardeep Nijjar, a designated terrorist by India's National Investigation Agency (NIA).

A statement from Canada’s National Security and Intelligence Advisor, Nathalie G. Drouin, issued on Friday, clarified that the government has not stated or seen evidence connecting the aforementioned Indian officials to any criminal activity within Canada. "Any suggestion to the contrary is both speculative and inaccurate," Drouin asserted.

This denial follows a report by the Canada-based Globe and Mail newspaper, which on November 20, 2024, attempted to link the death of Nijjar to high-ranking Indian government figures, including Modi, Jaishankar, and Doval. The Indian government swiftly condemned the report, dismissing it as a baseless smear campaign that could further strain the already tense relations between Canada and India.

The Canadian statement did acknowledge that, on October 14, Canadian authorities took the unprecedented step of publicly accusing individuals linked to the Indian government of being involved in serious criminal activities within Canada. These actions were part of an ongoing investigation into a "significant and ongoing threat to public safety," according to the statement from Drouin's office.

India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) responded by expressing strong disapproval of the Globe and Mail report, calling it "ludicrous" and underscoring that such media narratives should be dismissed outright. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiwal emphasized that smear campaigns like this only exacerbate the diplomatic rift between the two nations, which has been marked by rising tensions over issues of national security and foreign interference.