Three Indian nationals, who are accused in the killing of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, appeared before a Canadian court on Tuesday via video conference, media reports said.
The accused are identified as Karanpreet Singh, Kamalpreet Singh and Karan Brar.
They appeared separately by video in front of a packed Surrey provincial court room to acknowledge the charges of first-degree murder and conspiring to commit murder and to agree to have their cases adjourned to May 21 to give them time to consult with their lawyers, Vancouver Sun reported.
The court granted the Crown prosecutor’s request for a no-contact order naming seven people under a Canada Criminal Code section that bans the accused from communicating directly or indirectly with any of them, the newspaper reported.
Nijjar’s son Balraj Nijjar, 21, and Harjinder Nijjar, Mehtab Nijjar, Sarandeep Sehaj, Harsimranjeet Singh, Arshdeep Kapoor and Malkit Singh have been named in the order.
Their next step would be to have their lawyers apply for bail, Surrey criminal and immigration lawyer Affan Bajwa told Vancouver Sun.
Bajwa said their chances of being released on bail would depend on whether their lawyers could make a strong case to the judge.
“I think it may be difficult for them to be released on bail because of a possible flight risk and risk to public safety,” he said.
Canadian Police Friday arrested the three members of an alleged gang linked to the murder of the Khalistani leader.
Nijjar, 45, was shot dead in June last year outside a gurdwara in Surrey, a Vancouver suburb with a large Sikh population.
A few months later, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian government involvement, triggering a diplomatic crisis with New Delhi.