Saturday, March 29, 2025
A close associate of pro-Khalistan leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun has been arrested by Canadian police. Reports suggest that Inderjit Singh Gosal, considered one of Pannun’s top aides, has been taken into custody. However, the exact charges behind his arrest remain unclear.
Gosal was previously arrested in November 2024 in connection with violence at a Hindu temple but was later released. According to media reports, Gosal is believed to be Pannun’s “right-hand man” and took over as a key front for Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) in Canada after Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s death in June 2023. Nijjar was gunned down in Surrey, Canada, a killing that then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government controversially linked to India.
A report by News18, citing intelligence sources, claims that Gosal’s arrest came as a result of diplomatic and intelligence pressure from New Delhi under National Security Advisor Ajit Doval’s leadership. Indian agencies reportedly submitted a dossier containing sensitive communications, including a Telegram exchange between Pannun and Gosal.
The move has created a stir in Canada. Earlier this September, a Canadian assessment report titled “Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risk Assessment 2025” revealed that at least two Khalistani extremist groups had been receiving financial support from within Canada. These groups were identified as Babbar Khalsa International and the International Sikh Youth Federation.
According to an intelligence report from Ottawa, the threat of politically motivated violent extremism in Canada has existed since the mid-1980s. It particularly stems from Khalistani extremists attempting to create an independent state of Khalistan in Punjab, India, through violent means.
The report further highlighted that several terrorist organizations listed under Canada’s criminal code—including Hamas, Hezbollah, Babbar Khalsa International, and the International Sikh Youth Federation—continue to receive financial support from within Canada.
