Pannun attack a serious issue, US working with India on case: Biden govt official

A US government official told a Congressional hearing on Wednesday (March 20) that the United States was working with the Indian government to hold accountable those behind a plot to kill Khalistani separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil, which was a “serious issue”.

Federal prosecutors in November last year charged an Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, of being involved in the foiled plot to assassinate Pannun, who holds dual citizenship of the US and Canada. They charged that Gupta was working with an Indian government employee and had agreed to pay an assassin $1,00,000 to kill Pannun, who lives in New York City.

India has already constituted a probe committee to investigate the allegations.

“A serious issue between US and India”

During the Congressional hearing, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Donald Lu, told members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, “This is a serious issue. A serious issue between the United States and India. The Department of Justice has alleged that an Indian citizen, at the behest of someone working in the Indian government, has attempted to kill an American citizen on American soil. We take this in the administration incredibly seriously and have raised it at the highest levels with India.”

Lu was responding to a question from Congressman Dean Phillips from Minnesota, who asked if sanctions similar to those placed on more than 500 individuals relating to the killing of Lexie Navalny in Russia are being considered for those believed to be behind the plot to kill Pannun.

“We are at the moment working with India to encourage India to hold accountable those responsible for this terrible crime. What we can see is that India itself has announced that they have created a committee of inquiry to look into this matter and we ask them to work quickly and transparently to make sure justice is done,” Lu said.

(With agency inputs)