India has reacted angrily and has trashed Canada's claims of Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma being a 'person of interest' in a murder probe. Calling the allegations "preposterous imputations", India said that it was a deliberate strategy being used by the Canadian government, led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, to try to win a vote-bank in Canada.
Diplomatic relations between India and Canada have been especially strained since June 2023 when Trudeau blamed 'agents' of Indian government of having been involved in killing of pro-Khalistani terrorist Haedeep Nijjar.
The Ministry of External Affairs said that it had received diplomatic communication saying that Indian high commissioner is 'person of interest' in a murder.
Ministry of External Affairs released an angry statement over the fresh Canadian claims.
"The Government of India strongly rejects these preposterous imputations and ascribes them to the political agenda of the Trudeau Government that is centered around vote bank politics," said the statement.
India has said that Canada has not shared any evidence to substantiate the claims about Indian high commissioner.
"Since Prime Minister Trudeau made certain allegations in September 2023, the Canadian government has not shared a shred of evidence with the Government of India, despite many requests from our side. This latest step follows interactions that have again witnessed assertions without any facts. This leaves little doubt that on the pretext of an investigation, there is a deliberate strategy of smearing India for political gains," said the statement.
India fiercely defended the high commissioner.
"High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma is India's senior most serving diplomat with a distinguished career spanning 36 years. He has been Ambassador in Japan and Sudan, while also serving in Italy, Turkiye, Vietnam and China. The aspersions cast on him by the Government of Canada are ludicrous and deserve to be treated with contempt," said the statement.
