Goldy Brar, the fugitive gangster-turned-terrorist, is alleged to have claimed responsibility for the 2023 killing of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, according to an audio clip recently making the rounds on social media.

Following Nijjar’s killing, former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that Canadian security agencies were probing credible allegations of a “potential link” between Indian agents and the murder. The Indian government strongly denied them, and the incident led to a diplomatic row.

In the audio clip, Brar claimed that Nijjar was killed because he groomed and incited teenagers to sell drugs. Brar is wanted in several cases. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) last month announced a $50,000 reward for information on him, and the Indian government has previously designated him a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

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Who is Goldy Brar?

Brar is a native of Faridkot district in Punjab. He is a close associate of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, whose gang claimed responsibility for the murders of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala in 2022 and veteran Congress politician Baba Siddique in 2024. Bishnoi was also involved in an extortion racket run in Punjab and alleged to have a hand in the 2021 murder of a Youth Congress leader, Gurlal Pehalwan.

Former Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) V K Bhawra earlier said that Moosewala’s murder had a connection with the murder of SAD leader Vicky Middukhera. In a social media post, purportedly by Goldy Brar, it was claimed that Moosewala’s murder was a revenge killing that was carried out to avenge Middukhera’s murder, with some relation to gang rivalries in north India.

As earlier reported, a criminal dossier on Goldy prepared by Indian central agencies stated that he is associated with Babbar Khalsa International, which is listed as a terrorist organisation.

“Goldy, backed by a cross-border agency, was involved in multiple killings and professes a radical ideology. He figured in making threatening calls to pro-nationalist leaders, demanding ransom, and posting claims of killings on different social media platforms,” the dossier said.

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“He has been involved in the smuggling of high-grade arms, ammunition and explosive materials through drones from across the border and supplying them for carrying out killings, besides providing sharpshooters,” it added.

In 2022, Brar was believed to be based out of Canada, allegedly operating from there through a module in Punjab. However, his location frequently changes.

The FBI has alleged that Goldy is based in the United States. In July this year, the US charged Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar with orchestrating Nijjar’s assassination, with the FBI announcing a reward. The same month, Canada ruled out Indian involvement in the killing.

What is Goldy Brar’s link to Canada?

Goldy Brar’s cousin Gurlal Brar was murdered outside a disco in Chandigarh’s Industrial Area in 2021. Gurlal was a close aide of Bishnoi and Goldy. To avenge this death, Goldy Brar allegedly arranged the murder of Gurlal Pahalwan in Faridkot. When law enforcement named Brar as the prime suspect, he reportedly fled to Canada to avoid arrest. He continued running his operations from there.

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On May 1, 2022, the Anti Gangster Task Force (AGTF) arrested three aides of Goldy Brar from Bathinda. It is claimed that they wanted to target a businessman in the region, as part of his extortion operation. Police say Goldy hires hit squads in India to carry out his instructions, coordinating with Bishnoi, who is currently in jail.

And who was Hardeep Singh Nijjar?

According to the Indian government, Nijjar was involved in recruiting, financing and coordinating the activities of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), which was designated a terrorist organisation under the UAPA in 2023. He became a Canadian citizen in 1997.

He was shot outside a gurudwara in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023.