Karan Brar, one of the alleged members of a hit squad arrested in Canada in connection with the murder of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year, entered Canada on a 'study permit'.
According to media reports, Brar had, in a video on social media in 2019, claimed that it took him merely days to obtain the permit.
Brar (22) Kamalpreet Singh (22) and Karanpreet Singh, (28) all Indian nationals residing in Edmonton, were arrested and charged on Friday with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Brar had reportedly applied for a student visa through EthicWorks Immigration Services in Bathinda of Punjab and got it days later.
Canada-based Global News reported that EthicWorks' Facebook page had a promotional video featuring Brar, the caption of which read: "Congratulations Karan Brar for the Canada study visa...One more happy client from Kotkapura."
Another social media post by Brar showed that he moved to Edmonton in 2020.
The news report comes even as Immigration Minister Marc Miller refused to field questions on how the suspects came to Canada.
Local police had claimed that the suspects had entered Canada over the past five years and were suspected of involvement in the world of drug trafficking and violence.
The three arrested had appeared separately by video in court on Tuesday to acknowledge the charges of first-degree murder and conspiring to commit murder and to agree to have their cases adjourned to May 21 to give them time to consult with their lawyers, the Vancouver Sun newspaper reported.
