Canada failed to act against Bishnoi gang despite India's request: MEA

Justin Trudeau responsible for damaging ties

- VINAY KUMAR

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday that India had requested Canada to arrest members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang but it did not act on New Delhi's "core concerns".

The MEA also rejected "false imputations against our diplomats" made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

"We had shared some requests with the Canadian side for the arrest of those from Lawrence Bishnoi's gang. They haven't taken any action on our core concerns. There is a political motive also behind this," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a weekly media briefing.

Jaiswal said that similar extradition requests of syndicates linked to the Bishnoi gang were made recently as well, but Canada has not responded yet. The MEA gave names of Gurjit Singh, Gurjinder Singh, Arshdeep Singh Gill, Lakhbir Singh Landa, Gurpreet Singh for extradition, saying that the members of the Bishnoi gang were among them.

>> 'We had shared some requests with the Canadian side for the arrest of those from Lawrence Bishnoi's gang. They haven't taken any action on our core concerns. There is a political motive also behind this'

>> Referring to Trudeau's admission, the MEA reiterated that Canada hasn't shared a shred of evidence with New Delhi proving Indian agents' involvement in the murder