“Matter of concern”: India reacts to US accusation over failed plot to kill Khalistan separatist Pannun
| 2023-11-30
MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi
MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that it is contrary to the Indian government’s policy to hire for a contract killing
Responding to the US Department of Justice’s charges against an Indian national that he worked with an Indian intelligence official in planning to allegedly kill Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York City, India on Thursday said it was a “matter of concern.”
“As regards the case against an individual that has been filed in a US court, allegedly linking him to an Indian official, this is a matter of concern. We have said, and let me reiterate, that this is also contrary to government policy,” Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Arindam Bagchi said.
“The nexus between organized crime, trafficking, gun running, and extremists at an international level is a serious issue for law enforcement agencies and organizations to consider, and it is precisely for that reason that a high-level enquiry committee has been constituted, and we will obviously be guided by its results,” he added.
The MEA spokesperson said, “During the course of discussions with the US on bilateral security cooperation, the US side shared some inputs pertaining to nexus between organized criminals, gun runners, terrorists, and other extremists. We take, of course, such inputs very seriously, and a high-level enquiry committee has been constituted to look into all the relevant aspects of the matter. And necessary follow-up action will be taken based on the findings of the enquiry committee.” He, however, declined to elaborate further, saying that no further information can be shared on such security matters.
The US Department of Justice in its indictment, released on Wednesday, accused an unnamed Indian intelligence official, referred to as CC-1, of masterminding the plot to kill the Khalistani separatist Pannun. It also alleged that the intelligence official enlisted an individual named Nikhil Gupta to hire a hitman for $100,000 in cash for the contract killing.
Regarding questions on Canada reiterating its allegation that Indian government agents were involved in the killing of Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia, MEA Spokesperson Bagchi said, “In so far as Canada is concerned, we have said that they have consistently given space to anti-India extremists and their violence. And that is actually (at) the heart of the issue. Our diplomatic representatives in Canada have borne the brunt of this. So, we expect the government of Canada to live up to its obligations under the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations. We have also seen interference by Canadian diplomats in our internal affairs.”
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