A day after a report in the US daily The Washington Post claimed the involvement of an Indian official in an alleged plot to eliminate Sikh extremist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, India hit back at the allegations on Tuesday, terming the claims as “unwarranted and unsubstantiated” imputations on a serious matter.
The newspaper, citing undisclosed sources, identified a R&AW officer in connection with the alleged assassination plot targeting Pannun. Reacting to the allegations, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “The report in question makes unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations on a serious matter.”
“There is an ongoing investigation of the high-level committee set up by the Government of India to look into the security concerns shared by the US government on networks of organised criminals, terrorists and others,” he added.
Responding to media querries about the report, the MEA official said that “speculative and irresponsible comments” were not conducive to the situation.
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‘India is taking it seriously’: US
Meanwhile, the White House addressed The Washington Post’s report, stating that India is treating the allegations concerning the assassination plot of Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US seriously. However, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre refrained from commenting on the FBI probe and the Department of Justice’s criminal case.
Pierre’s comments on Monday coincided with the media report of alleging a RAW official named Vikram Yadav of plotting to assassinate Pannun in the US, reportedly approved by former Indian spy agency chief Samant Goel.
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Pannun is a prime leader of the Khalistan movement and serves as the legal advisor and spokesperson for Sikhs for Justice, advocating for a separate Sikh state. The Indian government has labelled Pannun as a terrorist.
Responding to inquiries about The Washington Post’s report, Jean-Pierre mentioned an ongoing investigation, with the Department of Justice handling a criminal probe. “So anything specific to that I would have to refer you to the DOJ,” she stated.
On the alleged assassination plot, Jean-Pierre stressed consistency in addressing the issue, both domestically and abroad. “This is a serious matter and we’re taking that very very seriously. The Government of India has been very clear with us that they are taking this seriously and will investigate,” she said.
What did the the Washington Post say?
According to the investigative report, The Washington Post newspaper said, “That India would pursue lethal operations in North America has stunned Western security officials.”
“Yadav’s identity and affiliation, which have not previously been reported, provide the most explicit evidence to date that the assassination plan — ultimately thwarted by US authorities — was directed from within the Indian spy service,” the daily reported.
“Higher-ranking (Research and Analysis Wing) RAW officials have also been implicated, according to current and former Western security officials, as part of a sprawling investigation by the CIA, FBI and other agencies that has mapped potential links to (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) Modi’s inner circle,” it further read.
Last November, US federal prosecutors accused Indian national Nikhil Gupta of collaborating with an Indian government employee in a failed attempt to assassinate Pannun, a Sikh extremist, in the US. Pannun, who faces terror charges in India, holds citizenship in both the US and Canada.
On December 7, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar informed Parliament that India had formed an inquiry committee to investigate the information provided by the US regarding the case due to its implications for national security.