In a first, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has responded to allegations of an Indian assassination plot in the US to eliminate Khalistani leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, saying he will “look into” any evidence but US-India ties would not be derailed by a “few incidents”.
In an exclusive interview to Financial Times, PM Modi said: “If someone gives us any information, we would definitely look into it. If a citizen of ours has done anything good or bad, we are ready to look into it. Our commitment is to the rule of law.”
US has charged Nikhil Gupta, 52, with murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Matthew G Olsen has said. US authorities said Gupta agreed to pay an assassin $100,000 to kill the Sikh separatist leader living in New York City.
India designated Pannun a terrorist in 2020, a charge he has consistently denied.
Noting that India was “deeply concerned about the activities of certain extremist groups based overseas”, the prime minister said: “These elements, under the guise of freedom of expression, have engaged in intimidation and incited violence.”
Despite buzz that the alleged assassination plot had caused friction in India-US ties, PM Modi said: “There is strong bipartisan support for the strengthening of this relationship, which is a clear indicator of a mature and stable partnership. Security and counter-terrorism co-operation has been a key component of our partnership.” He added, “I don’t think it is appropriate to link a few incidents with diplomatic relations between the two countries.”
Court documents state that earlier this year, “an Indian government employee (CC-1), working together with others, including Gupta, in India and elsewhere, directed a plot to assassinate on US soil an attorney and political activist who is a US citizen of Indian origin residing in New York City (the victim)”.
The press release states that Gupta is an associate of “CC-1” and has described his involvement in international narcotics and weapons trafficking in his “communications with CC-1 and others”.
“CC-1” is an Indian government agency employee, who has variously described himself as a “senior field officer” with responsibilities in “security management” and “intelligence”, and who also has referenced previously serving in Central Reserve Police Force and receiving “officer[] training” in “battle craft” and “weapons”, states the press release.
India’s foreign ministry had earlier announced that New Delhi had set up a high-level committee to investigate the US allegations and would “take necessary follow-up action”.
The New York indictment in November came close on the heels of a statement in September by Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau that his country was investigating if “agents” of New Delhi were behind the June killing of another Khalistani leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in British Columbia. Hitting back at the allegations, India described the claim as “absurd” and responded by forcing 41 Canadian diplomats to leave the country.
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