Alleged audio leak raises fresh concerns over threats to Khalistan activists

An alleged audio recording released by Sikhs For Justice has sparked renewed controversy after the group claimed an Indian diplomat issued a chilling warning to Khalistan Referendum activists shortly before a series of violent incidents involving pro-Khalistan Sikh figures in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

According to SFJ, the audio allegedly captures an Indian diplomat based in Milan, Italy, warning activists that “one or two people might suffer a loss of life” in connection with the Khalistan movement. The organization claims the recording is linked to broader allegations of intimidation and targeting of pro-Khalistan activists abroad.

The alleged warning was followed by several high-profile incidents involving Sikh separatist figures. On June 18, 2023, Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead in Surrey, Canada. Days earlier, on June 15, 2023, Avtar Singh Khanda died in Birmingham, United Kingdom, under circumstances that prompted speculation among some supporters and activists. In the United States, Sikh activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun was reportedly the target of an alleged murder-for-hire plot uncovered by U.S. authorities in 2023.

SFJ said it is prepared to share details related to the recording, including the identity of the diplomat allegedly heard in the audio, with security and intelligence agencies in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States as part of ongoing investigations into alleged transnational repression activities.

In a statement, Pannun alleged that the recorded remarks, combined with subsequent incidents involving pro-Khalistan activists, point to what he described as a coordinated campaign targeting supporters of the Khalistan Referendum movement globally.

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Indian authorities have previously rejected allegations linking the Indian government or its diplomats to overseas assassination plots and have dismissed accusations made by pro-Khalistan groups as politically motivated. No independent verification of the newly released audio recording has yet been made public.

The controversy comes amid continuing diplomatic tensions between Canada and India following allegations raised by Canadian officials regarding foreign interference and the killing of Nijjar.