The arrested Kotkapura man went to Canada on a ‘study permit’ issued through Bathinda’s immigration company

The Hardeep Singh Nijjar murder case is far from over and India and Canada remain at odds over it. A huge development took place when Canadian authorities arrested three Indians on suspicion of killing Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Nijjar in their territory. Hardeep Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, was most wanted in India on terror charges. Nijjar was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey on June 18, 2023. While Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused officers of New Delhi (Government of India) of carrying out the murder, India dismissed the claims as absurd and also asked Canadian authorities for the evidence so that they can investigate. After that, diplomatic relations between India and Canada plummeted. Ultimately, after months of investigation, Canadian authorities arrested three Indians: Karan Brar, 22, Kamalpreet Singh, 22, and Karanpreet Singh, 28 as suspects in Nijjar’s murder. Now, the Canadian media has made several claims about Karan Brar going to Canada on a study permit.

Who is Karan Brar?

According to Canadian media, Karan Brar revealed in an old social media post that he entered Canada on a ‘study permit’, which took him just days to obtain. The accused, Karan Brar, said in a video posted online in 2019 that he had applied for a student visa through EthicWorks Immigration Services in Bathinda, Punjab. Brar said he received his study visa days later.

Notably, Canadian media cited the promotional video shared by the immigration company starring Karan Brar. According to reports, Karan Brar is from Kotkapura, a town north of Bathinda. His video was uploaded to EthicWorks’ Facebook page. “Congratulations Karan Brar on Canada Study Visa,” the caption below the video read, adding, “Another satisfied customer from Kotkapura.” According to another Facebook page purportedly owned by Karan Brar, he moved to Edmonton on May 4, 2020, after starting his studies at Bow Valley College in Calgary on April 30, 2020.

In particular, the revelations about Karan Brar’s study visa permit could force Canadian authorities to impose stricter immigration rules, especially for those coming from India.

It is striking that the trio, dressed in orange jumpsuits, recently appeared in court. During their rally, pro-Khalistani protesters chanted slogans and held up banners outside the Surrey provincial court blaming the Indian government for the killing. The three men were taken into custody in Edmonton last Friday and are charged with first-degree murder and murderous conspiracy in connection with the June 2023 Nijjar shooting, which seriously damaged Canada’s relations with India.

It is pertinent to mention here that Hardeep Singh Nijjar was declared a terrorist by the Indian National Investigation Agency in 2020. Surrey’s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT), RCMP, had said that on the morning of May 3, IHIT investigators, with the help of a group of British Columbia and Alberta RCMP members and Edmonton police, arrested the three men for the murder of Nijjar in June 2023.

Notably, it was also reported that the three men were in contact with jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. However, Canadian authorities are still investigating and believe that more big names will appear in the Hardeep Nijjar murder case.