The United States has reiterated its demand for accountability from India concerning the investigation into the alleged assassination attempt on Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The US State Department stated that Washington continues to voice its concerns directly to the Indian government at senior levels.
“We continue to expect accountability from the Government of India regarding the alleged involvement of an Indian government employee in a failed attempt to assassinate a US citizen on American soil earlier this summer. We are persistently raising these concerns with senior officials in the Indian government,” Deputy State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said during a briefing on Thursday.
When asked about media reports of another assassination attempt on Pannun in Canada, Patel responded, “For details on the situation in Canada, I would refer you to the Canadian government, as it pertains to their law enforcement system.”
Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, is accused of participating in the failed assassination plot against Pannun. Gupta was extradited from the Czech Republic to the US in June, where he pleaded ‘not guilty.’ The US Justice Department alleges that Gupta, who is believed to be associated with the Indian government, conspired with others to assassinate Pannun in New York City.
Pannun, who holds both American and Canadian citizenship, is designated as a terrorist by India. In November, the US Justice Department unsealed an indictment accusing an unnamed Indian government employee of recruiting Gupta to hire a hitman for the plot, which was thwarted by US authorities.
The indictment’s charges are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. In response to the US concerns, India established a high-level inquiry committee in November to address security issues raised by the US government. The Ministry of External Affairs emphasized that India is taking these concerns seriously due to their impact on national security. Relevant departments are actively investigating the matter.
