Centre sees red over summons from US court in Pannun murder-plot case
NSA Ajit Doval, former R&AW chief Samant Goel, and R&AW agent Vikram Yadav also summoned; MEA terms summons as “completely unwarranted”
India has termed as “completely unwarranted” a summons from a UC court to the central government, among others, in relation to a civil lawsuit filed by Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun over an alleged failed attempt to murder him.
The others summoned by the US District Court for Southern District of New York are National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, former R&AW chief Samant Goel, R&AW agent Vikram Yadav, and Indian businessman Nikhil Gupta, who was arrested and extradited to the US from the Czech Republic in June.
The court has asked the Indian government to file a reply within 21 days. The Centre is yet to respond to the summons.
Govt points out Pannun’s “antecedent”
The Ministry of External Affairs has termed the US court’s summons as “completely unwarranted”. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri pointed out at a media briefing that the government “took action” when the issue was brought to its attention and a high-level committee is engaged in the matter.
Misri also drew attention to Pannun’s “antecedent” and the fact that he heads an unlawful organisation, the radical Sikhs for Justice. India declared him a terrorist in 2020. Pannun is known to deliver incendiary speeches and issue threats to Indian leaders and institutions.
Earlier, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had emphasised that the issue over Pannun would not impact the “upward trajectory” of India-US ties.
The case so far
Pannun’s alleged murder plot came to light last November when the UK-based newspaper Financial Times reported that the US had foiled such an attempt. Pannun holds dual citizenship in the US and Canada. The report was later confirmed by the Joe Biden administration.
Nikhil Gupta has been accused of planning the assassination attempt. In June, after his extradition, he pleaded not guilty in a US court. According to court documents, Gupta is an Indian national who lives in India and is involved in international narcotics and weapons trafficking by his own admission in intercepted communications.
US prosecutors have alleged that Gupta conspired with an Indian government official to kill Pannun to silence the “political activist” for exercising his “freedom of speech”. This official, identified as CC-1 in court documents, has been described as a “senior field officer” with an intelligence background. He allegedly recruited Gupta in May 2023 to plan Pannun’s murder.