Leaked Audio: Goldy Brar Claims He Killed Nijjar Over Drug Trade
In a purported leaked audio recording, Goldy Brar, a Canada-based gangster wanted in India, has claimed responsibility for the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist leader whose death outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023 triggered a major diplomatic confrontation between India and Canada.
Brar, also known as Satinderjeet Singh, is wanted in India for multiple crimes, including the murder of popular singer Sidhu Moosewala in 2022. He is believed to be a key figure in the Lawrence Bishnoi crime syndicate, which is active in parts of North America.
In the leaked audio, Brar is heard speaking with another man, Paramjit Singh Pamma, a Khalistani activist. Brar claims that Nijjar was involved in drug trafficking and in the exploitation of minors. "Those who groomed and incited 16-to-17-year-olds to sell drugs... Those who blackmailed young people into selling drugs and becoming informants... Nijjar supported and strengthened these individuals so that he could use them when necessary," he is heard saying.
"That's why we, my team and I, had to kill Nijjar, because these people were using young people to sell drugs. Everyone has to face the consequences of their actions," Brar allegedly added.
The authenticity of the recording, which has been circulating online, could not be independently verified.
Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, was a prominent supporter of the Khalistan movement, which seeks a separate Sikh state. India had designated him as a terrorist under its anti-terrorism law and had issued a look-out notice against him. He was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at a parking lot near the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey on June 18, 2023.
Weeks later, then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that Indian agents had a role in the murder. The Indian government dismissed the allegation as "absurd" and accused Ottawa of giving a free hand to pro-Khalistan elements on Canadian soil.
The dispute led to a sharp deterioration in bilateral ties. India recalled its High Commissioner and several diplomats from Canada after Canadian officials tried to link them to the killing. Trade negotiations and diplomatic visits were also halted.
Relations began to improve only after Mark Carney's Liberal Party won the Canadian parliamentary election, replacing Trudeau. In the subsequent months, both sides have taken steps to restore normalcy.
Last month, Canadian investigators stated that they found no evidence implicating Indian officials in Nijjar's murder. "There's no evidence to suggest through this organised crime investigation and the charges and the indictment laid forward that Indian officials were charged or involved," said Lisa Moreland, Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, as reported by the Press Trust of India.
Separately, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced in February a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest of Goldy Brar. In a statement on X, the FBI said Brar is wanted for his alleged involvement in the Lawrence Bishnoi Organised Crime Group, which is allegedly engaged in violent acts in Southern California, the United States, and Canada.
According to reports, Brar and Lawrence Bishnoi had been close associates for years, but a rift emerged between them last year. Bishnoi has been in jail since 2015.
