E-Paper
US' message to India on Gurpatwant Pannun assassination plot: 'Won't be fully satisfied until…'
Vedant Patel said the there was “valuable engagement” with India's inquiry committee regarding the alleged foiled murder plot of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun assassination plot: The United States on Tuesday (local time) said there was “valuable engagement” with India's inquiry committee last week regarding the alleged foiled assassination plot of the US-based pro-Khalistani figure Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and information was exchanged between the governments to further their respective investigations.
Addressing a media briefing, US principal deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel, however, said the United States won't be fully satisfied until there is meaningful accountability resulting from the investigation into the Gurpatwant Singh Pannun case, news agency ANI reported.
Vedant Patel said the US understands that Indian inquiry committee will continue its investigation and expects to see further steps based on conversation held between officials of two nations last week.
Also Read | Khalistani terrorist Pannun's threat to Air India passengers: ‘Don’t fly on…'
On being asked about the US government's message to India on Gurpatwant Pannun case, the deputy spokesperson said, “So, to take a step back, there was valuable engagement with India's inquiry committee last week, and information was exchanged between our two governments to further our respective investigations. We understand that the Indian inquiry committee will continue its investigation, and we expect to see further steps based on last week's conversations.”
"We continue to expect and want to see accountability based on the results of that investigation, and certainly the United States won't be fully satisfied until there is meaningful accountability resulting from that investigation. Beyond that, I'm just not going to address this in further detail given that this is an issue that is active and remains under investigation and ongoing under both of our countries," he added.
The US Department of State said Indian enquiry committee has visited United States to investigate the involvement of former Indian government official in foiled plot to assassinate a US national.
Gurpatwant Pannun is India-designated terrorist
Gurpatwant Pannun is an India-designated terrorist who holds American and Canadian citizenship. Earlier in November, the US Justice Department unsealed an indictment against an Indian national for his alleged involvement in a foiled plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Pannun.
US pressures India for quick accountability in Pannun murder plot: Report
News agency Reuters, citing a US official, reported that American officials have told their Indian counterparts they want a speedy result and more accountability after their investigation into Indian involvement in Pannun case.
“We've communicated really clearly that the US government isn't going to feel fully satisfied until we see that meaningful accountability takes place,” Reuters quoted an unnamed US official as saying.
“We have been emphasising that we hope that India will move as quickly as possible through their investigative process,” the official said.
The Indian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Washington's message to Indian officials has not been previously reported.
Last week, an unsealed indictment showed that the United States had charged Vikash Yadav, described as a former officer in India's Research and Analysis Wing spy service, with directing the plot against the Sikh separatist in New York City.
The indictment alleged that beginning in May 2023, Vikash Yadav, described as an employee of the Indian government at the time, worked with others in India and abroad to direct a plot against Pannun.
Meanwhile, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) has confirmed that the individual named in the US Justice Department's indictment case in the foiled assassination plot was no longer an employee of the government of India.
"The US State Department informed us that the individual in the Justice Department indictment is no longer employed by India. I confirm that he is no longer an employee of the Government of India," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a media briefing.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in September his country's intelligence agency was pursuing credible allegations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government was behind the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian Sikh separatist.
India has denied involvement in both incidents.
