In a significant courtroom revelation, Tanner Fox and Jose Lopez have pleaded guilty to the contract killing of Ripudaman Singh Malik, a Sikh man previously acquitted in the infamous 1985 Air India bombing case. This admission came during a recent appearance in a British Columbia court.

Fox and Lopez confessed to shooting Malik in 2022, but they have not disclosed who orchestrated and financed the assassination. According to court documents, the pair opened fire on Malik while he was sitting in his red Tesla outside his clothing import business in Surrey, British Columbia, hitting him multiple times.

“The shots struck Mr. Malik from his left side, and he was killed while he was sitting in the driver’s seat,” the court statement detailed. Law enforcement later recovered two handguns, a mask, gloves, and a substantial amount of cash at the crime scene.

This case has drawn intense scrutiny, particularly in light of recent reports about a violent campaign targeting Sikhs in Canada, allegedly driven by the Indian government. Following their guilty pleas, an altercation erupted in the courtroom as Lopez confronted Fox, resulting in a brief physical scuffle witnessed by the public and Malik’s family. Both men were subsequently subdued and handcuffed.

Scheduled for sentencing on October 31, Fox and Lopez’s case has reopened discussions on the grim legacy of the Air India bombing, which claimed 329 lives, including 86 children, making it the deadliest terrorist attack in Canadian history. The incident has historical roots, as it was reportedly retaliation for the Indian army’s 1984 raid on the Golden Temple, a pivotal moment for the Sikh community.

Malik, who had a controversial past and was known for his advocacy of the Khalistan movement, had shifted his stance in recent years, even visiting India and praising Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Notably, Malik was embroiled in a legal dispute with Hardeep Singh Nijjar over a commercial printing press linked to Sikh scriptures before both were targeted in violent incidents.

In the aftermath of Malik’s death, his family expressed a mix of relief and ongoing sorrow. “While we are grateful that the shooters are being brought to justice, we know that nothing will erase the pain of losing a family member in this way,” they stated. They emphasized that the pursuit of justice remains incomplete until those who hired Fox and Lopez are also held accountable.