A Canada Border Providers Company superintendent is talking out after being focused by the Indian authorities with allegations of homicide and terrorism — allegations Canadian authorities say will not be backed by any proof.
Whereas Sundeep “Sunny” Singh Sidhu has been reinstated in his publish with the CBSA, his attorneys say the federal government of Canada ought to have defended him extra vigorously from a overseas authorities accused of mounting a hostile disinformation marketing campaign on this nation.
Sidhu has labored for the CBSA for twenty years. He advised Ontario Chronicle he doesn’t put on a turban, shouldn’t be significantly spiritual and has no connections to Sikh separatist politics.
Nonetheless, final month Sidhu discovered his title and picture plastered throughout a number of Indian information retailers citing Indian authorities sources. The Hindustan Instances, which helps the federal government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, described Sidhu as “a member of the banned Worldwide Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), accused of selling terrorist actions in Punjab.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau takes half in a bilateral assembly with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the course of the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
The paper additionally claimed that Sidhu “allegedly had ties with Pakistan-based Khalistan terrorist Lakhbir Singh Rode and different [Pakistani intelligence] operatives, reportedly taking part in a job within the 2020 assassination of Balwinder Singh Sandhu.”
Most of the Indian media studies cite the nation’s Nationwide Investigation Company because the supply for his or her allegations in opposition to Sidhu.
“It is virtually laughable,” mentioned Sidhu. “It is just like the alphabet soup of prison organizations. I’ve zero hyperlinks to any of those organizations. I’ve by no means supported these organizations. I do not know any members in these organizations.”
On October 1, 2023, a co-worker advised Sidhu that he had been named in a YouTube video posted by a former Indian military main named Gaurav Arya.
Arya is a pro-Modi influencer who seems to be near India’s intelligence neighborhood.
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In a video purporting to listing India’s enemies and fugitives residing overseas, Arya recognized Sidhu as a wished terrorist concerned in Sikh separatist militancy and shared his house deal with. The video remained on YouTube for a number of months however has since been eliminated.
“I reported these allegations to my employer,” Sidhu advised Ontario Chronicle.
CBSA reassigned Sidhu away from his frontline job and launched an investigation. He mentioned the company introduced within the Canadian Safety Intelligence Company to conduct two days of polygraph assessments.
“I’ve been by means of a year-long investigation the place they’ve talked to my household, they’ve talked to my coworkers, they’ve gone by means of my monetary statements, they’ve gone by means of my financial institution statements, my phone information,” Sidhu mentioned.
‘Go and kill him’
Final month, virtually a 12 months after that preliminary video, Sidhu turned the main target of stories tales in Indian newspapers and tv. He was the goal of an avalanche of threats on social media.
One posting on X confirmed a satellite picture of a neighborhood with Sidhu’s house deal with marked on it and the caption, “Go and kill him.”
Sidhu had each purpose to take the threats severely. The claims being made in opposition to him on-line have been just like claims Indian authorities officers had made concerning the late Hardeep Singh Nijjar earlier than his killing.
Nijjar, a Sikh-Canadian activist, was overtly shot lifeless outdoors a Sikh temple in Surrey, B.C. on June 18, 2023. Greater than a 12 months in the past, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly accused the Modi authorities of involvement in Nijjar’s dying.
This nonetheless of safety footage reveals Hardeep Singh Nijjar leaving the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara on the night of June 18, 2023. (Submitted by title withheld)
Final month, the top of the RCMP publicly accused brokers of the Indian authorities of taking part in a job in “widespread violence” in Canada, together with homicides.
An Indian man residing in Winnipeg, Sukhdool Singh, was named in one in all Arya’s movies after which shot lifeless the next day. Arya subsequently posted on X concerning the dying.
Arya continues to take a robust curiosity in Canadian affairs. His movies harshly criticize Trudeau and promote Conservative Chief Pierre Poilievre as a superior chief who can restore relations with India.
‘An orchestrated marketing campaign’
Sidhu mentioned he had no concept who Arya was earlier than he noticed the video.
Sidhu mentioned he was born and raised in Prince George, B.C., hasn’t been to India since a marriage in 2018 and is aware of nothing concerning the 2020 homicide to which Indian media studies have linked him.
Sidhu’s lawyer Jeffrey Kroeker, of Massey LLP in Toronto, mentioned his consumer has been checked out completely by his employer.
“They’ve spoken to his colleagues, his household, gone by means of his information, tracked his journey, his banking, polygraph-tested him,” he mentioned.
“What we wish everybody to know is that there’s an orchestrated marketing campaign by a overseas entity that has nefarious functions. They’ve accused him of one thing that’s simply patently not true.”
Final month, CBSA advised its staff it had discovered nothing to again up the claims and reinstated Sidhu.
“The Canada Border Providers Company (CBSA) has no proof to help the allegations made within the articles in opposition to our worker Mr. Sidhu,” CBSA spokesperson Luke Reimer advised Ontario Chronicle.
‘False allegations’ unfold by means of inner mail
“The federal government wants to reply to allegations and they should take these items severely,” mentioned Kroeker. “However … when the allegations are completely baseless and pulled out of skinny air, there must be a full-throated response to clear the particular person and make it possible for their fame is upheld.”
When requested whether or not the federal government has taken these steps, Kroeker replied, “They’ve much more work to do.”
Sidhu’s attorneys say one of many irritating features of CBSA’s investigation is that the company’s media monitoring service mechanically picked up information tales from Indian media labelling Sidhu a terrorist, and shared them along with his colleagues in automated emails.
“False allegations have been additional amplified inside the division,” mentioned Kroeker.
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Reimer advised Ontario Chronicle that “each day media protection summaries ready for the CBSA are primarily based on pre-determined key phrases.”
“Dissemination of those summaries and unedited articles, no matter tone or accuracy, doesn’t suggest endorsement of the content material of those articles,” he added.
Kroeker mentioned he believes the allegations in opposition to his consumer match into an Indian authorities narrative that presents Canada as a secure haven for extremists, and the Trudeau authorities as complicit.
Within the wake of the current expulsions of Indian diplomats, the Modi authorities and pro-Modi Indian media have doubled down on portraying Canada as a lawless land the place Khalistani terrorism and Punjabi gangsterism get pleasure from free rein.
‘Canary within the coal mine’
India’s Instances Now tv information reported final month that “it’s after all no secret that underneath the unpopular and embattled Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canada has turn out to be a secure haven.”
“Not solely are the Khalistanis given a free run and platform, they’re additionally employed by the Canadian authorities! Are you able to imagine that? Not solely are they being shielded, dreaded terrorists are being employed by the Canadian authorities!”
Kroeker mentioned Sidhu is “the canary within the coal mine” for a brand new form of overseas interference that “is pervasive and is getting worse.”
“And now what is going on to begin occurring increasingly more is that governments around the globe will attempt to undermine the credibility of loyal civil servants,” he mentioned.
Kroeker mentioned Canada must be faster to defend its public servants from such assaults. Sidhu mentioned he has little doubt that he was focused due to his job.
“If I used to be Sunny the blueberry farmer, we would not be sitting right here,” he mentioned.
Sidhu mentioned his household confronted appreciable hardship because of Arya’s allegations, and obtained no safety regardless of credible threats.
Though he is now been cleared by CBSA, he mentioned he believes he is nonetheless in peril.
“I typically go to my automobile and I flip it on and I am like, ‘Oh my God,’ fingers crossed,” he mentioned.
Sidhu mentioned he is been advised to not decide up his daughter in school for security causes.
“I’ve needed to relocate my household to completely different homes,” he mentioned, including the ordeal has value him tens of 1000’s of {dollars}.
“I am a proud public servant. I really like going to work day by day. It is an enormous a part of my id. I have been doing it for 20 years.
“I wish to proceed defending our nation. What I would like from my nation is to guard me at this level.”
Former CSIS head Richard Fadden: ‘The Authorities of Canada has an energetic obligation to guard its staff.’ (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)
Dick Fadden, former director of CSIS, advised Ontario Chronicle that any company concerned in nationwide safety must examine any critical allegation in opposition to an worker coming from a overseas authorities.
“I feel on this case they weren’t solely entitled, they have been responsibility certain to have an administrative inquiry,” he mentioned.
“It is not a lot the what, it is the how. You must make a judgment in each case. How critical is it? How a lot element are you going to hunt? Are you going to place the particular person on administrative go away or not?”
Fadden mentioned India has an extended historical past of constructing allegations with out offering proof.
“As a matter of precept, he is a Crown servant. He’s being subjected to all of this as a result of he is a Crown servant, largely, I feel,” he mentioned. “So there’s a responsibility of care and concern.
“And I can not see any explanation why, with the huge sources of the Authorities of Canada, they could not have put him in a greater place than he seems to have been in.”
Fadden, the primary director of CSIS to go public about overseas interference in Canadian politics, advised Ontario Chronicle that “the scope of actions that we’d put underneath overseas interference continues to broaden” and will embrace false allegations meant to sow suspicion and discord.
“And whether it is found that that is the case, I feel the Authorities of Canada has an energetic obligation to guard its staff, very similar to anyone within the non-public sector would,” he mentioned.
