Allegations of an international assassination plot have once again thrown a spotlight on the already tense relationship between Canada and India. On December 1, 2025, the advocacy group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) publicly accused a serving Indian diplomat in Canada of orchestrating a $50,000 contract-to-kill scheme targeting Sikh activist Inderjeet Singh Gosal. According to SFJ, Canadian security and intelligence agencies, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), are fully aware of the alleged plot and have recently offered Gosal protective measures due to what the group described as an "imminent threat."
Inderjeet Singh Gosal is no stranger to controversy. As an organizer for the Sikh separatist referendum campaign in Canada—an effort advocating for an independent Sikh homeland known as Khalistan—he has long been a visible figure in a movement that has drawn sharp rebukes from the Indian government. Canadian media previously reported that Gosal received a police "duty-to-warn" notice about threats he believes originated from India, a claim that India has consistently denied.
SFJ’s General Counsel, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, explained the group’s decision to go public with the allegations. He directly referenced the June 2023 assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia—an event that triggered a major diplomatic crisis between Canada and India. "Gosal’s Contract-To-Kill plot is the direct outcome of Prime Minister Carney opening trade talks with Modi without demanding accountability. Canadian sovereignty has collapsed to the point where Indian diplomats feel free to orchestrate killings," Pannun stated, as reported by multiple sources including the SFJ official statement and Canadian media.
The details of the alleged plot are chilling. SFJ claims that a serving Indian diplomat in Ottawa offered $50,000 in cash to a purported hitman to assassinate Gosal. The group asserts that Canadian security and intelligence agencies have already received and assessed intelligence about the plot, and that this information has reached the highest levels of the Canadian government—including Prime Minister Mark Carney, Foreign Minister Anita Anand, and the Minister of Public Safety.
In a public call to action, SFJ urged its supporters to monitor the movements of India’s High Commissioner to Canada, Dinesh K Patnaik. The group’s statement read, "Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) has revealed that Canadian security and intelligence agencies are aware of Contract-To-Kill plot by diplomats of the Indian High Commission in Ottawa." However, public safety experts were quick to discourage such vigilantism, emphasizing that anyone with credible information about threats should report them directly to law enforcement rather than take matters into their own hands.
The timing of these allegations could hardly be more sensitive. Canada-India relations have been on a knife’s edge since the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023. That killing, which took place in Surrey, British Columbia, led Canada to expel several Indian diplomats in October 2024, after linking them to an RCMP investigation into violent criminal activity related to the Nijjar case. India dismissed those accusations as "preposterous," and the diplomatic fallout has yet to fully subside.
Gosal’s own experience with threats is not new. He has previously been identified in Canadian media as an organizer for the Sikh separatist campaign and has said he received a police "duty-to-warn" notice related to threats he believes originated from India. The RCMP, according to both SFJ and Canadian news outlets, recently offered Gosal witness protection in light of the imminent danger to his life. This step, while significant, underscores the seriousness with which Canadian authorities are treating the allegations.
SFJ’s General Counsel, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, has been vocal about what he sees as a pattern of targeted violence against Sikh activists in Canada. By linking the alleged plot against Gosal to the earlier assassination of Nijjar, Pannun is drawing a direct line between ongoing diplomatic tensions and the safety of Sikh activists on Canadian soil. He argues that the lack of accountability in Canada’s dealings with India has emboldened Indian officials. "Gosal’s Contract-To-Kill plot is the direct outcome of Prime Minister Carney opening trade talks with Modi without demanding accountability," Pannun said, reiterating his concern that Canadian sovereignty is at risk.
The Indian government, for its part, has routinely denied any involvement in plots against Sikh activists abroad. In response to previous allegations, including those surrounding the Nijjar case, Indian officials have described the accusations as baseless and politically motivated. Nevertheless, the ongoing investigations and the RCMP’s decision to offer protection to Gosal suggest that Canadian authorities are taking the threat seriously, regardless of the diplomatic sensitivities involved.
Observers note that the current situation highlights the complex intersection of international diplomacy, national security, and diaspora politics. The Sikh separatist movement, while relatively small in terms of active support, has become a flashpoint for broader tensions between Canada and India. The Canadian government has often found itself in a difficult position—balancing the rights and safety of its citizens with the need to maintain constructive relations with a major international partner.
Meanwhile, the call by SFJ for supporters to monitor the movements of Indian diplomats has raised eyebrows among security experts. While the group insists that such vigilance is necessary to prevent further violence, public safety officials have warned that it could lead to unintended consequences, potentially escalating tensions or interfering with official investigations. The message from authorities is clear: anyone with credible information about threats should report them directly to police, not take independent action.
As the story continues to develop, both Canadian and Indian officials are likely to face renewed scrutiny over their handling of the case. For now, Inderjeet Singh Gosal remains under protective measures, a stark reminder of the real-world dangers faced by activists caught in the crossfire of international disputes. With the diplomatic relationship between Canada and India already strained, the latest allegations ensure that the issue of Sikh activism—and the risks faced by those involved—will remain at the forefront of public debate.
In the midst of these high-stakes allegations and political maneuvering, the safety of individuals like Gosal remains a pressing concern. The coming weeks will reveal whether these latest claims lead to further diplomatic fallout or prompt a reassessment of how both countries address the complex realities of diaspora activism and international security threats.
