RCMP told families of Air India Flight 182 victims at a recent meeting that there are no investigative avenues left and the case will move to inactive status.
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Families of victims of the 1985 Air India Flight 182 bombing say the RCMP has told them investigators have no further investigative avenues to pursue, with the case set to move to “inactive status” following a recent meeting.
In a statement to OMNI News, the RCMP said there are currently no persons of interest or suspects under consideration and that the investigation remains open. The police service also said if any new or credible information comes forward, it will be investigated.
However, at least some families dispute the practical effect of keeping the file open. Deepak Khandelwal, whose two older sisters died in the crash, said he was shocked by the update he received at the meeting with RCMP officers, which he described as part of an ongoing effort for accountability that has lasted 41 years.
Khandelwal said families were told the investigation would not move into renewed investigative work, arguing that an “open” status is not the same as active investigation. He said families were told there are no proactive investigative agents assigned and no proactive investigative work is being done.
On June 23, 1985, a bomb planted inside Air India Flight 182 exploded over the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Ireland, killing all 329 people on board. The flight had been travelling from Toronto to India via London, with 286 passengers described as Canadian citizens with East Indian origin.
The attack also included a second bombing that occurred simultaneously at Japan’s Narita International Airport, killing two baggage handlers, according to the information provided to families.
The legal process that followed took decades to reach trial. The trial of two accused individuals began in 2005 and, according to Khandelwal’s account, it became the longest and most expensive investigation in Canadian history. Ripudaman Singh Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri were found not guilty.
Khandelwal also addressed what families were told about an individual referred to as “Mr. X.” The RCMP said that while the person had been identified, no definitive link to the bombing could be established. The police service said it was aware the individual died before facing charges and declined to release the person’s name.
Khandelwal said the families asked for information on Mr. X in June 2025, but did not receive an update until a Sept. 12 meeting. He said the passage of time—along with deaths of witnesses and potential suspects—continues to reduce the chances of obtaining answers.
The RCMP’s explanation of investigative status comes amid a long-running dispute about how thoroughly the matter has been pursued since the original trial. Khandelwal said families were told in the recent meeting that the RCMP could not answer what investigative steps have been taken, and he suggested the record of investigative activity since 2005 remains unclear.
Families described the bombing’s roots as connected to the Sikh extremist movement in the aftermath of the 1984 attack on the Golden Temple and the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The material provided identifies Talwinder Singh Parmar as the “mastermind” behind Air India Flight 182; Parmar is described as a high-profile leader of Babbar Khalsa, which is described as a listed terrorist entity in Canada and India. Parmar returned to India and was killed by Punjab police in 1992.
Beyond the “mastermind” narrative, only one conviction is described as being achieved: Inderjit Singh Reyat. He pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter and a charge related to the creation of the bomb, receiving an initial 10-year sentence that later increased by nine more years for perjury.
Even with the RCMP saying the investigation remains open, families are urging a different approach. Khandelwal said the families present at the meeting pushed for action and argued that the investigation should continue as an active case. He said families want investigators to pursue all angles, including leads they believe remain open regarding those responsible and broader organizational involvement in the killings.
While the RCMP says there are no suspects or persons of interest currently under consideration, it also said the case would be investigated again if new credible information arrives. For victims’ families, the immediate issue is whether that possibility will translate into renewed investigative activity rather than leaving the matter in a dormant state after decades of legal proceedings and ongoing demands for accountability.
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