Ottawa, Canada: A Canadian court has granted bail to four Indian nationals accused of first-degree murder and conspiracy in the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a pro-Khalistan figure. The accused—Karan Brar, Amandeep Singh, Kamalpreet Singh, and Karanpreet Singh—were released after initial hearings, with their case transferred to the British Columbia Supreme Court for a February 2024 hearing.

Delays and lack of strong evidence have raised concerns about the prosecution's case. The four men were released under a "stay of proceedings" while awaiting trial. Nijjar, who was shot outside a Gurdwara in Surrey, Canada, in June 2023, was designated a terrorist by India's National Investigation Agency in 2020.

The murder has intensified diplomatic tensions between India and Canada, following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's claims of "credible allegations" implicating India in the killing. India has vehemently rejected these accusations, calling them politically motivated.