OTTAWA: India's envoy to Canada, who is being expelled over what Ottawa says are links to the murder of a Sikh leader, insisted in an interview he was innocent and said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had wrecked bilateral political ties.

Both countries on Monday ordered out six diplomats in tit-for-tat moves over Ottawa's allegations that New Delhi was targeting Indian dissidents on Canadian soil.

Trudeau specifically tied the six to the murder of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year in British Columbia.

Sanjay Kumar Verma, India's envoy to Canada, told CTV that Trudeau had been relying on intelligence rather than evidence.

"On the basis of intelligence, if you want to destroy a relationship, be my guest. And that's what he did," Verma said in an interview broadcast on Sunday.

Asked whether he had had anything to with Nijjar's murder, Verma said: "Nothing at all. No evidence was presented. (This is) politically motivated."

Canada is home to the highest population of Sikhs outside their home state of Punjab and demonstrations in favor of a separate homeland carved out of India have irked New Delhi.

Last Thursday, India's foreign ministry said that despite requests from New Delhi, Canada had not taken any action against members of a gang that Canadian police have accused of being linked to Indian government agents in the 2023 murder of a Sikh separatist leader, that has created a rupture in ties.

"This is a contradiction in terms, which we don't understand," Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India's foreign ministry said, calling it "strange".

He said that there were 26 Indian extradition requests pending with Canada over the last decade or more, which include members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, and others.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police had accused Indian government agents of being linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang in the murder of Nijjar near Vancouver. The case is at the heart of a fraying of diplomatic ties between India and Canada.

Trudeau said on Wednesday that India had made a "horrific mistake" by thinking it could interfere aggressively in Canada's safety and sovereignty.

India, in response said that Trudeau had only confirmed its stand that Canada had not provided any evidence to support its allegations.

During a weekly press conference, Jaiswal said on Thursday, "We have shared security related information with the Canadian government regarding gang members including those of Lawrence Bishnoi gang, and requested them to arrest them or take due action as per law." Reuters

  - Reuters