Canada alleges Indian minister behind plots that targeted Sikhs

The Canadian government has publicly alleged that India's home affairs minister, Amit Shah - the closest political ally of the prime minister, Narendra Modi - was behind a recent series of plots to murder and intimidate Sikh separatists in Canada.

- Hannah Ellis-Petersen

Testifying before a parliamentary committee, the Canadian deputy foreign affairs minister, David Morrison, acknowledged he had leaked information to the Washington Post about Shah's alleged role in a campaign of violence and threats against the Sikh diaspora over the last few years.

Morrison confirmed he had given the information to the newspaper, which then published a story last month naming Shah. He said: "The journalist called me and asked if it [Shah] was that person. I confirmed it was that person." He gave no further details on how Canadian officials had linked Shah to the investigation.

The Indian government has not responded to the specific naming of Shah, who is No 2 in the Modi government, but has previously dismissed Canada's allegations as baseless, absurd and politically motivated.