Toronto, Feb. 15 -- The trial in Canada linked to the killing of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar remains in the pre-trial stage, with proceedings involving four Indian nationals not expected to move to the trial phase or have dates set before August this year, people aware of the details said. The development comes a day after Indian national Nikhil Gupta pled guilty in the United States to plotting the assassination of pro-Khalistan activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. US authorities have linked the conspiracy to kill the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) general counsel to the murder of Nijjar. Designated a terrorist by India, Nijjar was shot dead by gunmen outside a gurdwara in British Columbia, Canada, in June 2023. Just hours after the killing, Yadav purportedly sent Gupta a video of Nijjar's body, according to the indictment. "On or about June 19, 2023, the day after the Nijjar murder, Gupta told the UC [undercover law enforcement officer posing as a contract killer] that Nijjar 'was also the target' and 'we have so many targets.' Gupta added that, in light of Nijjar's murder, there was 'now no need to wait' on killing the Victim. On or about June 20, 2023, Yadav sent Gupta a news article about the victim and messaged Gupta, '[i]t's [a] priority now'," the US Justice Department said. A spokesperson for the British Columbia Prosecution Service on Saturday confirmed that the hearings involving the four Indian nationals linked to Nijjar's killing -- Karan Brar, Kamalpreet Singh, Karanpreet Singh and Amandeep Singh -- remains in the pre-trial phase and "will be for some time". "Trial dates have not yet been set. All four accused remain in custody under detention orders," Damienne Darby, communications counsel for the BC Prosecution Service, said on Friday in response to queries from HT. That trial is not expected to commence before August due to the complex pre-trial situation. Pre-trial applications are expected to continue till around that time, before dates for the actual trial are set, a prosecution spokesperson had said last year. A publication ban on the proceedings, imposed by the court on an application of the Crown (prosecution), also remains in place....