NEW DELHI, July 14 (Reuters) – India said on Tuesday that it is committed to working with its partners to combat transnational organised crime, a week after the U.S. charged the imprisoned head of an Indian criminal gang with directing the 2023 murder of a Sikh separatist leader in Canada.
• Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in Canada’s Surrey, and then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had alleged Indian involvement in his killing, badly damaging ties between the countries.
• India had termed the accusations “absurd”.
• The U.S. last week charged Indian criminal gang leader Lawrence Bishnoi and his North American deputy with directing the murder.
• India and the U.S. enjoy “strong and effective growing cooperation” on transnational organised crime, Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, when asked about the U.S. indictment.
• India remains committed to working with its partners in combating transnational organised crime through close law enforcement and security cooperation, he told a regular media briefing on Tuesday.
• Asked about the possibility of Bishnoi’s extradition, Jaiswal said New Delhi would deal with any such request according to “established legal obligations and judicial processes” applicable in the case.
• An official at the U.S. Attorney’s Office had replied in the affirmative last week when asked if they would seek Bishnoi’s extradition.
• U.S. and Canadian officials did not reiterate any allegations that the Indian government was involved in or had prior knowledge of Nijjar’s killing.
• Ottawa and New Delhi have been working to restore ties in recent months and are aiming to conclude a free trade pact by the end of this year.
(Reporting by Sakshi Dayal and Hritam Mukherjee; Editing by YP Rajesh)
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