Guilty Pleas in High-Profile Case: Men Admit to Killing Air India Kanishka Bombing Suspect

Chandigarh (The Uttam Hindu) : Two men, Tanner Fox and Jose Lopez, are set to be sentenced for the murder of Ripudaman Singh Malik, a key suspect in the infamous Air India Kanishka bombing, after pleading guilty in a Canadian court on Monday. The court in New Westminster, British Columbia, accepted their pleas following the shocking shooting of Malik on July 14, 2022, in Surrey. Malik was previously acquitted in connection with the 1985 bombing that claimed 331 lives.

The sentencing is scheduled for October 31. In a statement to the *South China Morning Post*, Malik's family expressed gratitude for the progress in the case but emphasized the need for accountability beyond the two killers. They urged Fox and Lopez to cooperate with authorities in identifying those who hired them. “Tanner Fox and Jose Lopez were hired to commit this murder,” the family stated, highlighting that true justice cannot be achieved until the masterminds behind the assassination are apprehended.

The motive behind Malik's murder remains murky, though it has been suggested that he had ongoing disputes with Khalistani leader Hardeep Nijjar regarding the printing of copies of the Guru Granth Sahib in Canada. Notably, Nijjar himself was murdered by gunmen in Surrey a year later, leading Canadian police to connect the two cases, although no solid evidence has emerged.

The unfolding narrative highlights complex layers of intrigue involving historical grievances and current tensions within the Canadian Sikh community. As the judicial process moves forward, the implications of these events continue to resonate, raising questions about justice and accountability in a case deeply rooted in the past.