'We continue to expect accountability from Indian government': US on Pannun case

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. File pic

The United States reiterated that it continues to expect accountability from India regarding the investigation in connection with the alleged assassination attempt on Khalistani terrorist, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. US State Department said that Washington continues to raise its 'concerns' directly with the Indian government at senior levels.

"We continue to expect accountability from the Government of India, in relation to an alleged role of an Indian government employee in the failed attempt to assassinate a US citizen on US soil, that occurred by summer and we continue to raise our concerns directly with the Indian government at senior levels," State Department Deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said on Thursday (local time) during briefing.

Being asked about a media report on another assassination attempt on Pannun in Canada, Patel said, "The news out of Canada, I would refer you to the Canadian government to comment on issues that are happening within their law enforcement system." Indian national Nikhil Gupta is accused of being involved in the alleged failed murder plot of India-designated pro-Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

Earlier in June, he was extradited from the Czech Republic to the US to stand trial, where he pleaded 'not guilty.' The US Justice Department has alleged that Gupta (52) is an associate of the Indian government and that together they and others helped plot the assassination of Pannun in New York City. 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 a US-based leader of the Sikh Separatist Movement and a citizen in New York.

The Justice Department claimed that an Indian government employee (named CC-1), who was not identified in the indictment filed in a federal court in Manhattan, recruited an Indian national named Nikhil Gupta to hire a hitman to carry out the assassination, which was foiled by US authorities, according to prosecutors. The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty, the Justice Department stated.

India in November last year formed a high-level inquiry committee to address the security concerns highlighted by the US government. The Ministry of External Affairs said that India takes such inputs seriously since they impinge on national security interests as well, and relevant departments were already examining the issue.

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