Canada has withdrawn an invitation to an alleged Sikh extremist to attend an official dinner with its Prime Minister Justin Trudeau while he is in Delhi.

Trudeau, on a first state visit to India, stated that Jaspal Atwal should never have been invited to yesterday’s (February 22) meal.

Jaspal Atwal, a Canadian citizen of Indian origin, was convicted and later acquitted of trying to assassinate an Indian minister in 1986.

He is accused of having been a member of a now banned Sikh extremist group.

Earlier this week he was photographed alongside Trudeau’s wife, Sophie, and one of his cabinet ministers at an event in Mumbai.

Trudeau, who meets his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi today (February 23), has been fending off criticism that his government is soft on Sikh extremists during his week-long trip.

He stated that the MP from his party “took full responsibility” for the dinner invitation.

Mr Atwal, now a businessman in the Canadian city of Surrey, traveled to India separately and was not part of the Canadian delegation. Indian officials say they are investigating how he was granted a visa.

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