The high-profile murder trial of four men charged with killing Surrey Sikh temple president Hardeep Singh Nijjar has been adjourned again.
Surrey provincial court Judge Jodie Harris, in a court appearance Oct. 1, adjourned the case to Nov. 21. It was the fifth adjournment since May 15.
Nijjar, 45, was shot to death on June 18, 2023 in the parking lot of Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, in the 7000-block of Scott Road in Newton. He was found in his truck.
Amandeep Singh, 22, Karan Brar, 22, Kamalpreet Singh, 22, and Karanpreet Singh, 28, are charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
The four defence lawyers appeared on behalf of their clients by video, while Crown prosecutor Louise Kenworthy, who requested the adjournment, appeared in person.
"We have not yet provided all the disclosure to my friends, and we are not at a point where I could say substantive disclosure has been completed," Kenworthy told Harris. "I will advise the court that options are being considered for the transfer of the file to Superior Court. So those are the two matters unfolding, which is why I'm asking for the long adjournment today."
Harris agreed with Kenworthy's request to mark the next date as a fixed date and not a bail hearing, "given this court doesn't have jurisdiction to determine bail on this matter."
Several dozen demonstrators gathered outside the Surrey courthouse on Tuesday, many of whom came inside to listen to the hearing.
Nijjar was an ardent supporter of securing an independent Sikh nation in India called Khalistan, and his supporters maintain India's government was involved in his killing.
B.C. Gurdwaras Council spokesman Moninder Singh said Canadians should be "extremely worried" about foreign interference.
"This case is actually like symbolic of the level of violence that can happen in foreign interference. So if the sovereignty of Canada is being undermined in all cases of foreign interference, whether that be from Russia or China or India," Singh said.
"Canadians should be worried about if they are actually in control of their democratic processes, institutions, elections, leaders, or is a foreign country actually taking it upon themselves to impress upon us what their needs are and tampering with everything that we would call in our Charter of Rights and Freedoms," Singh said.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, with the group Sikhs for Justice, released a statement Tuesday (Oct. 1) calling for action. "The safety and freedom of pro-Khalistan Sikhs are non-negotiable. Canada must take a stand against India’s campaign of terror," reads the release.
Last September, Prime Minister Trudeau told the House of Commons there is "credible" intelligence linking Indian government agents to the slaying, but the Government of India rejected his claim as "absurd."
After speaking to the media outside the courthouse, demonstrators burned several Indian flags while shouting, "Who killed Nijjar?" and the crowd responded "Indian government."
