Two hitmen have pleaded guilty in a Canadian court to the second-degree murder of Ripudaman Singh Malik, a Sikh businessman who was acquitted of the 1985 bombing of an Air India flight. Tanner Fox and Jose Lopez entered their pleas in British Columbia Supreme Court just before their first-degree murder trial was set to begin.
In a dramatic turn of events during the court proceedings, Fox and Lopez got into a violent fistfight, reportedly “punching and clawing at each other” for several minutes before law enforcement intervened, restraining them and clearing the public gallery.
The case is scheduled to return to court on October 31 for a sentencing hearing. Their guilty pleas for second-degree murder ensure they will receive life sentences, though the exact duration before they can apply for parole remains to be determined, as reported by CBC.
Malik was shot multiple times outside his family business in Surrey, British Columbia, on July 14, 2022. Authorities discovered a burnt-out vehicle nearby following the shooting. Malik had previously been acquitted in 2005 in connection with a devastating double bombing; on June 23, 1985, Air India Flight 182 exploded off the coast of Ireland, killing all 329 people on board, mostly Canadian citizens. Around the same time, a second bomb detonated prematurely in Japan, resulting in the deaths of two baggage handlers. These bombings, carried out by Sikh extremists in retaliation for India’s 1984 military operation at the Golden Temple, remain Canada’s deadliest terrorist attack.
Malik and his co-defendant, Ajaib Singh Bagri, were acquitted of mass murder and conspiracy charges after a two-year trial. According to a recent statement of facts, Fox and Lopez had been contracted to kill Malik, although the source that hired them has not been identified.
Law enforcement found two handguns at properties linked to Fox and Lopez, along with C$16,485 (approximately US $11,943; £9,148) in cash at Lopez’s apartment.
Malik’s family has issued a statement pressing for cooperation with law enforcement to identify and bring to justice those who orchestrated the assassination. “Until the parties responsible for hiring them and directing this assassination are brought to justice, the work remains incomplete,” they stated.
When approached for comment, Fox’s lawyer declined to discuss the details of the case. Meanwhile, Lopez’s legal team expressed cautious optimism about his future, stating, “We are hopeful for his prospects of rehabilitation given his youth and his remorse, as shown by his decision to accept responsibility today.”
