Canadian Court Rejects Bid to Halt Removal of SFJ Suspect, India-Canada Tensions Rise
The applicant, Gurpreet Singh, had submitted that he would “suffer irreparable harm if removed to India and will be persecuted due to his activism in India and in Canada for pro-Khalistan causes” | World News
A Canadian court has denied a last-ditch effort to prevent the deportation of a man who claims to be a member of the separatist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). Gurpreet Singh, who arrived in Canada in May 2023, was scheduled for removal but sought a stay, citing concerns of persecution in India due to his activism. He had protested against the Indian government's suppression of Sikhs' freedom of expression and joined SFJ, which he believed would put him at risk if returned.
Singh's motion was dismissed by an Ottawa court, despite his claims of 'irreparable harm' if deported. The court found 'insufficient objective and compelling evidence' to support his request. This development comes as a record number of Indian nationals are being removed from Canada, with 2,831 Indians having been deported in the first ten months of 2025, a 41% increase from the 1,997 removed last year.
The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) has stated that many of those being removed are facing serious inadmissibility charges, including national security concerns, organized crime, human rights violations, and criminality. The agency has also removed at least five individuals connected to extortion-related violence. As tensions between Canada and India continue to rise, the SFJ suspect's deportation is likely to further strain relations between the two nations.
