India has acknowledged the seriousness of the accusations concerning the alleged plot to assassinate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the United States, as stated by the White House. However, there was no comment on the ongoing FBI investigation and the criminal case initiated by the Department of Justice.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre addressed the issue on Monday, following an investigative media report implicating a RAW official named Vikram Yadav in the assassination scheme, purportedly approved by the former head of the Indian spy agency, Samant Goel.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a famous face of the Khalistan movement, is the legal counsel and spokesman for Sikhs for Justice, advocating the cause of a separate Sikh homeland. The Indian government branded him a terrorist and is keeping a close watch on his activities.
He refused to comment on The Washington Post report and said that Department of Justice, which is conducting a criminal investigation into the issue.
He repeated India's strategic ally status and that the United States would increase cooperation in all sectors. She underscored the seriousness with which both governments are treating the issue and their commitment to a thorough investigation.
The alleged assassination plot against Pannun in the US coincided with the fatal shooting of Khalistani militant Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada's British Columbia province last June, which also allegedly involved Vikram Yadav, according to Western officials.
Amid a surge of violence in Pakistan, where several Sikh or Kashmiri separatists designated as terrorists by the Indian government have been killed in the past two years, these incidents raise grave concerns.
While senior Indian officials named in The Washington Post's report have not responded to requests for comment, the Ministry of External Affairs has established a high-level committee to investigate the information shared by the American authorities, citing implications for national security.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasized India's commitment to safeguarding national security interests in its investigation into the alleged involvement of a government official in the plot targeting Pannun.
Reportedly, the Biden administration has refrained from levying charges against Vikram Yadav, as per The Washington Post's findings.
