Fugitive gangster Goldy Brar has, in an audio clip, purportedly claimed responsibility for the killing of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, The Indian Express reported.The newspaper said it could not independently verify the authenticity of the audio clip, which was shared on social media.Brar was purportedly speaking to Khalistan militant Paramjit Singh Pamma when he claimed that he and his associates killed Nijjar because he had allegedly been using young persons to sell drugs. Brar, whose real name is Satinderjeet Singh, was heard saying in the clip that everyone “has to face the consequences of their actions”, The Indian Express reported.“Those who groomed and incited 16-to-17-year-olds to sell drugs… those who blackmailed young people into selling drugs and becoming informants… Nijjar supported and strengthened these individuals so that he could use them when necessary,” Brar was quoted by the newspaper as saying in the audio recording.Along with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, Brar has been charged in the United States for ordering the killing of Nijjar in June 2023. The country’s Federal Bureau of Investigation has announced a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to his arrest.Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, was killed by masked gunmen in the city of Surrey near Vancouver. His killing had led to diplomatic tensions between New Delhi and Ottawa after Justin Trudeau, the Canadian prime minister at the time, told Parliament in September 2023 that intelligence agencies were examining “credible allegations” linking Indian government agents to the murder.India called the allegations “absurd and motivated”, and maintained that it had no involvement in the killing.Nijjar was an advocate for Khalistan, an independent Sikh nation that some groups seek to carve out of India. He was the head of the Khalistan Tiger Force, which is a designated terrorist outfit in India.Four Indian citizens are facing trial in Canada in connection with Nijjar’s killing. They face charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.There has since been a thaw in diplomatic relations between India and Canada.Edited by Sneha.