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#accountant in surrey
sandhutax · 1 year
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5 Tax-Saving Strategies Every Business Owner Should Know
As a business owner in Surrey, you know that taxes can be a significant expense. However, there are several strategies you can use to reduce your tax bill and keep more money in your pocket. Here are five tax-saving strategies that every Surrey business owner should know:
Take advantage of tax deductions: There are many tax deductions available to businesses, such as expenses related to office space, equipment, and travel. Make sure you keep detailed records of your expenses throughout the year, so you can take advantage of all the deductions you're eligible for.
Contribute to a retirement plan: Contributing to a retirement plan, such as an RRSP or a TFSA, can help you reduce your taxable income. Plus, it's a smart way to save for your future.
Hire family members: If you have family members who are willing to work for your business, consider hiring them. This can be a tax-effective way to transfer income to your family members, who may be in a lower tax bracket than you.
Use tax credits: There are several tax credits available to businesses in Surrey, such as the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax credit. Make sure you explore all the tax credits that are available to you and take advantage of them.
Work with a tax professional: Working with a tax professional can help you identify tax-saving opportunities and ensure that you're taking advantage of all the deductions and credits you're eligible for. They can also help you plan your finances strategically to minimize your tax liability.
By using these tax-saving strategies, you can reduce your tax bill and keep more money in your business. However, it's essential to work with a tax professional to ensure that you're following all the rules and regulations. With the right tax strategy in place, you can take your business to the next level.
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Keep Your Business Stable With A Professional Accountant In Surrey
A very common question that entrepreneurs or business owners ask is at what point in the life of the business is it convenient to hire the services of an accountant in Surrey. However, this question, despite being so frequent, implies a wrong approach to the accounting profession. In reality, the correct question should be – what needs does my business have in accounting matters?
Accounting Services Are Tailored To The Company
Accounting is one of the fundamental pillars of any company, both for ventures that are just beginning an idea and for businesses that are already functional. Accounting adapts to its characteristics. The question should focus on the specific needs of the company when defining which accounting services should be contracted. Contrary to popular belief, an accountant in Surrey can provide both strategic planning & supervision services in the fiscal, administrative, and financial areas.
Financial Projection
The financial projection will allow the elaboration of the cash flow analysis necessary to know if the business model will be functional in terms of money. Thus, the entrepreneur will know the income and expenses involved in starting up the operations and thus make decisions about the investment.
Tax Planning Is Mandatory
The tax planning carried out by the accountant in Surrey focuses on projecting the vast field of taxes that the new company will have to pay. Tax planning is crucial for a business that wants to grow. Filing your taxes on time will save your company from CRA audits. It is necessary to consider tax planning from the beginning in financial planning.
Administrative Accounting
In any case, it is important to carry out a business diagnosis to find out what kind of needs the company has, such as financial planning, tax strategy, process audit, inventory control, administrative restructuring, investment project, and so on….. Depending on that, it will be possible to know when to hire an accountant in Surrey, but even more important: the accounting service that is most necessary will be hired.
Type Of Services Charged By An Accountant In Surrey
To determine the percentage of profit that your services will leave you, you must define separately the types of services that you offer, as follows –
 Fixed
Fixed services are those for which you constantly receive income. These incomes are fixed & you receive them every certain period, for example – keeping the monthly accounting of a company.
Specific
They are services that are more complex. In order to provide a specific service the accountant in Surrey must have exact knowledge & experience. Normally this type of service is requested infrequently due to its particularities. Considering this, an accountant should charge a higher percentage. The complexity of this type of service generates higher returns.
On-Demand
Clients who request services on demand often disappear after having obtained the service. It is because they are very specific requirements that do not require in-depth knowledge, for example, a procedure, a certification, a document, or a financial report. Due to the specificity of the matter, the time required is short. However, the cost of these services is higher. It happens because you are at higher risk since you are backing up information and data you cannot control. 
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iykons · 5 days
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Accounting and Bookkeeping Services in uk
Seeking top-notch accounting and bookkeeping services in the UK? Look no further! Our expert team ensures meticulous financial management tailored to your needs.
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majeacounting · 13 days
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Navigating Business Success: The Role of an Accountant in Vancouver
In the bustling metropolis of Vancouver, businesses thrive in a dynamic and competitive environment. From startups to established corporations, every entity relies on sound financial management to navigate the complexities of their operations successfully. Amidst this landscape, the expertise of an accountant stands as a beacon of financial stewardship and strategic guidance.
Accountants in Vancouver play a pivotal role in the economic landscape, offering indispensable services that go beyond mere number-crunching. They are the architects of financial stability, the guardians of compliance, and the advisors steering businesses towards growth and prosperity.
At the heart of every thriving business lies meticulous bookkeeping. Vancouver-based enterprises understand the importance of maintaining accurate and up-to-date financial records. This is where the services of a skilled bookkeeper in Vancouver come into play. They are the custodians of financial data, ensuring that every transaction is recorded with precision and clarity. With their expertise, businesses can make informed decisions, identify trends, and allocate resources effectively.
Bookkeeping services in Vancouver are not just about balancing the books; they are about providing actionable insights that drive business success. By leveraging advanced accounting software and best practices, bookkeepers empower businesses to streamline their financial processes, reduce overhead costs, and optimize cash flow management.
In the fast-paced business landscape of Vancouver, staying compliant with tax regulations and financial reporting standards is non-negotiable. This is where the expertise of an accountant truly shines. Whether it's navigating complex tax codes, preparing financial statements, or conducting audits, accountants in Vancouver are the trusted advisors businesses rely on to ensure regulatory compliance and financial transparency.
Beyond compliance, accountants offer strategic guidance that transcends traditional financial management. They analyze market trends, assess risk factors, and develop tailored financial strategies that align with the long-term goals of the business. From budget planning to investment analysis, accountants provide invaluable insights that empower businesses to seize opportunities and mitigate risks effectively.
In the digital age, technology has revolutionized the accounting profession. Cloud-based accounting software, automation tools, and data analytics platforms have transformed the way accountants operate. In Vancouver, forward-thinking accounting firms like Maje Accounting harness the power of technology to deliver cutting-edge solutions that drive efficiency and innovation.
Maje Accounting is a trusted name in the Vancouver accounting community, known for its commitment to excellence and client-centric approach. With a team of seasoned professionals and a focus on personalized service, Maje Accounting offers a comprehensive suite of accounting and bookkeeping services tailored to the unique needs of each client.
As a leading provider of bookkeeping services in Vancouver, Maje Accounting understands the importance of accuracy, reliability, and confidentiality. Whether it's managing accounts payable, reconciling bank statements, or generating financial reports, their bookkeepers ensure that every aspect of the financial process is handled with precision and integrity.
Beyond bookkeeping, Maje Accounting offers a full spectrum of accounting services designed to support businesses at every stage of their growth journey. From tax planning and compliance to financial analysis and strategic consulting, their team of accountants provides holistic solutions that drive tangible results.
One of the hallmarks of Maje Accounting is its commitment to proactive communication and responsive client service. In a rapidly evolving business environment, timely and reliable support can make all the difference. Maje Accounting prides itself on being accessible to clients, providing expert advice and guidance whenever needed.
In conclusion, the role of an accountant in Vancouver extends far beyond number-crunching and compliance. Accountants are the architects of financial stability, the advisors guiding businesses towards growth and prosperity. With their expertise and strategic insights, they empower businesses to navigate the complexities of the modern business landscape with confidence and clarity. And in Vancouver, Maje Accounting stands as a trusted partner, offering comprehensive accounting and bookkeeping solutions that drive success.
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taxlinkcpa · 4 months
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Vancouver Accountants
Small business bookkeeping in Canada can be a bit daunting if you're not used to it, but it doesn't have to be. There are a number of online resources and services that can make the process easier, and many accounting software packages have templates or modules specifically designed for small businesses
Visit Us For : https://taxlinkcpa.ca/services/
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onlinetutorhelps · 8 months
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corporatetaxadvice · 10 months
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Corporate Tax Advisors: Your Path to Financial Optimization
For businesses of all sizes, managing taxes effectively is a crucial aspect of financial planning and optimization. The complexities of corporate taxation can be overwhelming, and staying compliant with ever-changing tax laws while maximizing tax benefits requires specialized expertise. This is where Corporate Tax Advisor comes into play, providing invaluable guidance and strategies to navigate the intricacies of the tax landscape while optimizing financial outcomes for businesses.
Understanding the Role of Corporate Tax Advisors
Corporate Tax Advisors are financial professionals with extensive knowledge and experience in tax laws, regulations, and planning. Their primary objective is to assist businesses in making informed decisions that reduce tax liabilities, increase tax efficiency, and ultimately lead to financial optimization.
Key Services Offered by Corporate Tax Advisors
Tax Planning and Compliance: Corporate Tax Advisors conduct in-depth analyses of their clients' financial data to create effective tax planning strategies. They ensure compliance with all relevant tax laws and regulations, minimizing the risk of penalties or audits.
Tax Structuring: By evaluating the company's organizational structure, Corporate Tax Advisors can recommend optimal tax structures that help minimize tax liabilities and maximize benefits.
International Taxation: For companies operating globally or engaging in cross-border transactions, navigating international tax laws can be challenging. Corporate Tax Advisors provide guidance on international tax planning and compliance to mitigate risks and optimize tax outcomes.
IRS Representation: If a business faces an IRS audit or dispute, Corporate Tax Advisors can represent and defend their client's interests, ensuring a fair resolution.
The Benefits of Engaging Corporate Tax Advisors
Expertise and Knowledge: Corporate Tax Advisors possess specialized knowledge in tax laws and regulations, keeping abreast of updates and changes. Their expertise ensures accurate advice and compliance.
Financial Optimization: By optimizing tax strategies, businesses can reduce tax burdens and allocate more resources to growth initiatives, leading to enhanced financial performance.
Risk Mitigation: Complying with tax laws is critical to avoiding penalties and legal complications. Tax Advisors help minimize risks associated with taxation.
Time and Resource Savings: Taxation is a complex and time-consuming process. Engaging Corporate Tax Advisors allows businesses to focus on core operations, increasing efficiency.
Long-Term Financial Planning: Tax Advisors work collaboratively with businesses, helping them create long-term tax planning strategies that align with their financial goals.
Conclusion
Corporate Tax Advisors play a vital role in guiding businesses toward financial optimization through effective tax planning and compliance. Their expertise helps companies navigate complex tax laws, reduce liabilities, and capitalize on tax benefits. By engaging the right Corporate Tax Advisors, businesses can unlock opportunities for growth, long-term financial success, and enhanced competitiveness in their respective markets.
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talwarassociates · 1 year
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We're the top CPA in Kelowna Vernon, specializing in audit & assurance, tax consulting, accounting services, and bookkeeping. For our clients, we are long-term financial advisors. We will be your single source of accounting expertise.
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gatwickaccountant · 2 years
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Is Hiring an Accountant a Good Decision? | Gatwick Accountant
An accountant has the multitasking skills necessary to take charge of the account. If you are looking for surrey accountant, then please visit or contact Gatwick Accountant to get best professional accountants to get your work done.
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digitalleo0 · 2 years
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Looking for an accountant in Surrey? Our team of experts can help you with all your accounting needs.We offer a wide range of services, including bookkeeping, tax preparation, and more.Contact us today to get started!
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Don't waste your time approaching us if you need an accountant in Surrey. We have Certified and Professional Accountants in Surrey. Just let us know your requirements and we will be happy to get back to you in no time. Feel free to fill in the form below and let us know about your condition.
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iykons · 5 days
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IT Service Providers for Fintech Technology
Stay ahead of the curve with our top-tier IT solution provider company. From fintech development to enterprise solutions, we've got you covered.
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Techniques of Selecting the Right Accounting Firm for Your Business
Selecting the appropriate Accounting organisation is essential whether you require book-keeping solutions or require tax obligation recommendations.
-Determine Your Business Requirements. The essential point that you require to think about is to comprehend what kind of obligations you desire small accounting firms Melbourne to handle for you. You can employ a dependable accountant for your business if you desire little organization accounting solutions. On the other hand, if you wish to obtain tax obligation guidance as well as income tax return prepared, after that, it is a good idea to take aid from a trusted and also expert tax obligation accounting professional.
Prior to you working with an accounting professional for your company, you require to recognize what kind of obligations you desire accounting professionals to take care of for your company.
-Experience Matters a Lot. It will certainly not be advantageous for your organization if you take assistance from those accounting organisations that are not reliable or sufficient. You require local business accounting professionals that can deal with your organization, and also it will certainly be helpful for you if the accounting professional deals with business in your specific niche. While benefiting companies from a particular sector, some accounting professionals quickly take care of difficulties and also settle problems quickly. Accounting professionals can additionally direct you in making educated organisational choices for your business's development.
-Accountant with Expertise. It will certainly be a bonus offer for your company if an accounting professional has actually currently dealt with business in a comparable market or market to your own as accounting professionals can comprehend the demands of your service.
It is a great indicator as you can be certain that they can handle your expanding requirements if accounting professionals have bigger customers. When you will work with an accounting professional for your business, after that you can likewise ask accounting professionals for their customer checklist to understand just how they have actually expanded their organization with the help of their accountancy procedures. For submitting as well as preparing an income tax returns, you can care for an income tax return accounting professional.
-Wide Range of Accounting Services. Most bookkeeping organisations supply a wide variety of bookkeeping solutions such as capital evaluation, monetary monitoring, sequence preparation, as well as auditing/reporting. This kind of bookkeeping organisation will certainly do greater than prepare income tax returns, and also they will certainly likewise provide you guidance pertaining to your organization's economic standing. Audit and also accounting for little companies are essential facets, and also these facets aid you expand your company. Accountant Surrey Hills aid you arrange your organization publications and also organization accounts, specifically.
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pkaccounting · 2 years
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Accounting Service Surrey
For tax return services and accountancy services, connect with our personal accountant in Surrey, Sutton, and London. Call now. https://pkaccountingservices.co.uk/
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Canadian Sikh Facebook users posting about the assassination of a Sikh community leader are seeing posts disappear and accounts suspended in response to legal demands by the Indian government.
Many Facebook posts and pages that have been flagged as being in violation of Indian law involve content relating to the legacy of Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh leader who was assassinated outside of a Surrey gurdwara in June of this year.
On Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the House of Commons that Canadian intelligence was pursuing “credible allegations” that “agents of the Government of India” had assassinated Nijjar in Surrey, BC this summer.
“Over the past number of weeks, Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar,” Trudeau said. “Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty.”
Continue Reading.
Tagging: @politicsofcanada
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andmaybegayer · 19 days
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/04/29/india-assassination-raw-sikhs-modi/
cool cool cool
(full text below the cut)
An assassination plot on American soil reveals a darker side of Modi’s India
Greg Miller, Gerry Shih, Ellen Nakashima
The White House went to extraordinary lengths last year to welcome Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a state visit meant to bolster ties with an ascendant power and potential partner against China.
Tables on the South Lawn were decorated with lotus blooms, the symbol of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. A chef was flown in from California to preside over a vegetarian menu. President Biden extolled the shared values of a relationship “built on mutual trust, candor and respect.”
But even as the Indian leader was basking in U.S. adulation on June 22, an officer in India’s intelligence service was relaying final instructions to a hired hit team to kill one of Modi’s most vocal critics in the United States.
The assassination is a “priority now,” wrote Vikram Yadav, an officer in India’s spy agency, the Research and Analysis Wing, or RAW, according to current and former U.S. and Indian security officials.
Yadav forwarded details about the target, Sikh activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, including his New York address, according to the officials and a U.S. indictment. As soon as the would-be assassins could confirm that Pannun, a U.S. citizen, was home, “it will be a go ahead from us.”
Yadav’s identity and affiliation, which have not previously been reported, provide the most explicit evidence to date that the assassination plan — ultimately thwarted by U.S. authorities — was directed from within the Indian spy service. Higher-ranking RAW officials have also been implicated, according to current and former Western security officials, as part of a sprawling investigation by the CIA, FBI and other agencies that has mapped potential links to Modi’s inner circle.
In reports that have been closely held within the American government, U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed that the operation targeting Pannun was approved by the RAW chief at the time, Samant Goel. That finding is consistent with accounts provided to The Washington Post by former senior Indian security officials who had knowledge of the operation and said Goel was under extreme pressure to eliminate the alleged threat of Sikh extremists overseas. U.S. spy agencies have more tentatively assessed that Modi’s national security adviser, Ajit Doval, was probably aware of RAW’s plans to kill Sikh activists, but officials emphasized that no smoking gun proof has emerged.
Neither Doval nor Goel responded to calls and text messages seeking comment.
This examination of Indian assassination plots in North America, and RAW’s increasingly aggressive global posture, is based on interviews with more than three dozen current and former senior officials in the United States, India, Canada, Britain, Germany and Australia. Citing security concerns and the sensitivity of the subject, most spoke on the condition of anonymity.
That India would pursue lethal operations in North America has stunned Western security officials. In some ways, however, it reflects a profound shift in geopolitics. After years of being treated as a second-tier player, India sees itself as a rising force in a new era of global competition, one that even the United States cannot afford to alienate.
Asked why India would risk attempting an assassination on U.S. soil, a Western security official said: “Because they knew they could get away with it.”
The foiled assassination was part of an escalating campaign of aggression by RAW against the Indian diaspora in Asia, Europe and North America, officials said. The plot in the United States coincided with the June 18 shooting death of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, B.C., near Vancouver — an operation also linked to Yadav, according to Western officials. Both plots took place amid a wave of violence in Pakistan, where at least 11 Sikh or Kashmiri separatists living in exile and labeled terrorists by the Modi government have been killed over the past two years.
The Indian intelligence service has ramped up its surveillance and harassment of Sikhs and other groups overseas perceived as disloyal to the Modi government, officials said. RAW officers and agents have faced arrest, expulsion and reprimand in countries including Australia, Germany and Britain, according to officials who provided details to The Post that have not previously been made public.
The revelations have added to Western concerns about Modi, whose tenure has been marked by economic growth and rising global stature for India, but also deepening authoritarianism. A recent report by Freedom House, a human rights organization, listed India among the world’s practitioners of “transnational repression,” a term for governments’ use of intimidation or violence against their own citizens — dissidents, activists, journalists — in others’ sovereign territory.
India is part of an expanding roster of countries employing tactics previously associated with China, Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and other repressive regimes. It is a trend fueled by factors ranging from surging strains of nationalism and authoritarianism to the spread of social media and spyware that both empower and endanger dissident groups.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs declined to respond to detailed questions submitted by The Post or provide comment for this article. Responding to questions raised by a Post reporter at a news briefing last week, spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said that India was still investigating the allegations and that the Pannun case “equally impacts our national security.”
Jaiswal referred reporters to previous ministry statements that targeted killings are “not our policy.”
For the Biden administration, which has spent three years cultivating closer ties with India, the assassination plots have pitted professed values against strategic interests.
Last July, White House officials began holding high-level meetings to discuss ways to respond without risking a wider rupture with India, officials said. CIA Director William J. Burns and others have been deployed to confront officials in the Modi government and demand accountability. But the United States has so far imposed no expulsions, sanctions or other penalties.
Even the U.S. criminal case reflects this restraint. Senior officials at the Justice Department and FBI had pushed to prosecute Yadav, officials said, a step that would have implicated RAW in a murder-for-hire conspiracy. But while a U.S. indictment unsealed in November contained the bombshell allegation that the plot was directed by an Indian official, it referred to Yadav as only an unnamed co-conspirator, “CC-1,” and made no mention of the Indian spy agency.
Justice Department officials who took part in the White House deliberations sided against those urging criminal charges against Yadav. Administration officials denied any undue influence. “Charging decisions are the prerogative of law enforcement alone,” said National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson, “and the Biden NSC has rigorously respected that independence.”
The only U.S. charges made public to date are against an alleged middleman, Nikhil Gupta, who is described in the indictment as an Indian drug and weapons trafficker enlisted to hire a contract killer. Gupta, an Indian national who has denied the charges, was arrested in Prague on June 30 and remains in prison. He is awaiting a Czech court ruling on a U.S. request for his extradition.
Even in recent days, the Biden administration has taken steps to contain the fallout from the assassination plot. White House officials warned the Modi government this month that The Post was close to publishing an investigation that would reveal new details about the case. It did so without notifying The Post.
Laying a trap
For decades, RAW was regarded as a regional player, preoccupied by proxy wars with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency. Under Modi, however, RAW has been wielded as a weapon against dissidents in India’s vast global diaspora, according to current and former U.S. and Indian officials.
The U.S. operation shows how RAW tried to export tactics it has used for years in countries neighboring India, officials said, including the use of criminal syndicates for operations it doesn’t want traced to New Delhi. It also exposed what former Indian security officials described as disturbing lapses in judgment and tradecraft.
After the plot against Pannun failed, the decision to entrust Yadav with the high-risk mission sparked recriminations within the agency, former officials said. Rather than joining RAW as a junior officer, Yadav had been brought in midcareer from India’s less prestigious Central Reserve Police Force, said one former official. As a result, the official said, Yadav lacked training and skills needed for an operation that meant going up against sophisticated U.S. counterintelligence capabilities.
Attempts by The Post to locate or contact Yadav were unsuccessful. A former Indian security official said he was transferred back to the Central Reserve Police Force after the Pannun plot unraveled.
The U.S. affidavit describes Yadav as an “associate” of Gupta who procured the alleged drug trafficker’s help by arranging for the dismissal of criminal charges he faced in India. Gupta had a history of collaborating with India’s security services on operations in Afghanistan and other countries, according to a person with knowledge of his background, but he had never been used for jobs in the West.
Petr Slepicka, a lawyer in Prague who represents Gupta, declined to comment on the case except to say that his client denies the charges against him. In court filings in India, Gupta’s family members described him as an innocent “middle-class businessman” whose arrest was a case of mistaken identity. They said he traveled to Prague “for tourism” and to explore new markets for a “handicraft” business, according to the court filings.
Yadav and Gupta spent weeks trading encrypted texts about the plot to kill Pannun, according to a U.S. affidavit filed in support of the request for Gupta’s extradition. To find a willing assassin, Gupta reached out to someone he had been in touch with for at least eight years and understood to be a drug and weapons dealer. In reality, according to the affidavit, the supposed dealer was an informant for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
The two were discussing “another potential firearms and narcotics transaction,” according to the affidavit when, on May 30, Gupta abruptly asked “about the possibility of hiring someone to murder a lawyer living in New York.”
From that moment, U.S. agents had an inside but incomplete view of the unfolding conspiracy. They orchestrated Gupta’s introduction to a supposed assassin who was actually an undercover agent, according to court filings. They captured images of cash changing hands in a car in New York City — a $15,000 down payment on a job that was to cost $100,000 when completed.
At one point, the indictment said, U.S. agents even got footage of Gupta turning his camera toward three men “dressed in business attire, sitting around a conference room,” an apparent reference to Indian operatives overseeing the mission. “We are all counting on you,” Gupta told the purported assassin on the video call, according to the indictment.
Yadav indicated that there would be more jobs after Pannun, including one “big target” in Canada. But a separate hit team got to that assignment first, according to the U.S. indictment, suggesting that RAW was working with multiple criminal elements.
Hours after Nijjar was gunned down in his car on June 18 outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara temple in Surrey, Yadav sent a video clip to Gupta “showing Nijjar’s bloody body slumped in his vehicle,” according to the indictment.
The message arrived as U.S. authorities were laying a trap for Gupta. Seeking to draw him out of India and into a friendly jurisdiction, U.S. agents used their DEA informant to persuade Gupta to travel to the Czech Republic for what he was led to believe would be a clandestine meeting with his American contact, according to officials familiar with the operation.
Gupta arrived in Prague on June 30 — 11 days after Czech authorities, acting at the behest of U.S. officials, had secretly issued an arrest warrant for him.
As he exited Vaclav Havel Airport, Gupta was intercepted by Czech police, who ushered him into a vehicle in which two U.S. federal agents were waiting, according to court filings submitted by Gupta’s family in India. He was questioned for hours while the car meandered around the city. His laptop was seized and his phone held to his face to unlock it, according to the family petition.
Gupta was eventually deposited in Prague’s Pankrac Prison, where he remains awaiting possible extradition. Seeking help, Gupta’s family tried to reach Yadav last year but could find no trace of him, according to a person familiar with the matter. After months of near-constant contact with Gupta, the person said, CC-1 had “disappeared.”
Engaging with the underworld
Though Yadav served as RAW’s point man, current and former officials said the operation involved higher-ranking officials with ties to Modi’s inner circle. Among those suspected of involvement or awareness are Goel and Doval, though U.S. officials said there is no direct evidence so far of their complicity.
As RAW chief at the time, Goel was “under pressure” to neutralize the alleged threat posed by Sikh extremists overseas, said a former Indian security official. Goel reported to Doval, and had ties to the hard-line national security adviser going back decades.
Both had built their reputations in the 1980s, when the country’s security services battled Sikh separatists and Muslim militants. They were part of a generation of security professionals shaped by those conflicts much the way their U.S. counterparts came to be defined by the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
Doval, 79, has claimed roles in undercover missions from the jungles of Myanmar to the back alleys of Lahore, Pakistan — tales that contributed to his frequent depiction in the press as the “James Bond of India.”
He also exhibited a willingness to engage with the criminal underworld. In 2005, after retiring as head of India’s domestic intelligence service, he was inadvertently detained by Mumbai police while meeting with a reputed gangster. Doval was seeking to enlist one crime boss to assassinate another, according to media reports later confirmed by senior Indian officials.
Before being tapped as national security adviser by Modi in 2014, Doval publicly called for India’s security apparatus to shift from “defense” to “defensive offense” against groups threatening India from other countries, especially Pakistan.
Goel, who was then rising into the senior ranks at RAW, shared Doval’s instincts. Police forces under Goel’s command in the early 1990s were tied to more than 120 cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances or torture, according to a database maintained by Ensaaf, an Indian human rights group based in the United States. Goel was so closely associated with the brutal crackdown that he became an assassination target, according to associates who said he took to traveling in a bulletproof vehicle.
Former Indian officials who know both men said Goel would not have proceeded with assassination plots in North America without the approval of his superior and protector.
“We always had to go to the NSA for clearance for any operations,” said A.S. Dulat, who served as RAW chief in the early 2000s, referring to the national security adviser. Dulat emphasized in an interview with The Post that he did not have inside knowledge of the alleged operations, and that assassinations were not part of RAW’s repertoire during his tenure.
U.S. intelligence agencies have reached a similar conclusion. Given Doval’s reputation and the hierarchical nature of the Indian system, CIA analysts have assessed that Doval probably knew of or approved RAW’s plans to kill Sikhs his government considered terrorists, U.S. officials said.
A fierce crackdown
India’s shift to “defensive offense” was followed by a series of clashes between RAW and Western domestic security services.
In Australia, two RAW officers were expelled in 2020 after authorities broke up what Mike Burgess, head of the Australian intelligence service, described as a “nest of spies.”
Foreign officers were caught monitoring “their country’s diaspora community,” trying to penetrate local police departments and stealing information about sensitive security systems at Australian airports, Burgess said in a 2021 speech. He didn’t name the service, but Australian officials confirmed to The Post that it was RAW.
In Germany, federal police have made arrests in recent years to root out agents RAW had recruited within Sikh communities. Among them, German officials said, were a husband and wife who operated a website purportedly covering local Sikh events but who were secretly on RAW’s payroll.
In Britain, RAW’s surveillance and harassment of the Sikh population — especially a large concentration near Birmingham — became so egregious in 2014 and 2015 that MI5, Britain’s domestic security service, delivered warnings to Goel, who was then serving as RAW’s station chief in London.
When confronted, Goel scoffed at his counterparts and accused them of coddling Sikh activists he said should be considered terrorists, according to current and former British officials. After further run-ins, British authorities threatened to expel him, officials said. Instead, Goel returned to New Delhi and continued to climb RAW’s ranks until, in 2019, he was given the agency’s top job.
RAW’s record of aggressive activity in Britain has fanned suspicion that the agency was involved in the death of Sikh activist Avtar Singh Khanda, who died in Birmingham last year, three days before Nijjar was killed in Canada. British officials have said Khanda suffered from leukemia and died of natural causes, though his family and supporters have continued to press for further investigation.
A U.S. State Department human rights report released this month catalogued India’s alleged engagement in transnational repression. It cited credible accounts of “extraterritorial killing, kidnapping, forced returns or other violence,” as well as “threats, harassment, arbitrary surveillance and coercion” of overseas dissidents and journalists.
RAW’s operations in Western countries during Modi’s tenure have been overwhelmingly aimed at followers of the Sikh religion, especially a minority faction seeking to revive the largely dormant cause of creating a separate state called “Khalistan.”
That movement had peaked in the 1980s, when thousands were killed in violent skirmishes between the Indian government and Sikh insurgents. One brutal sequence beginning in 1984 included an Indian assault on the Sikh religion’s holiest site, the Golden Temple; the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by Sikhs in her security detail; and the bombing of an Air India flight widely attributed to Sikh extremists. A fierce crackdown quashed the insurgency, prompting an exodus of Sikhs to diaspora communities in Canada, the United States and Britain.
As Sikhs settled into their new lives abroad, the Khalistani cause went quiet until a new generation of activists — whose leaders included Pannun and Nijjar — sought to rekindle the movement with unofficial referendums on Sikh statehood and with protests that at times have seemed to glorify violence. A parade in Canada last year included a float depicting Indira Gandhi’s assassination, and Khalistan supporters have stormed and defaced Indian diplomatic facilities in Western cities.
The effort has seemed to gain little traction beyond a minority within the diaspora communit
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