The US State Department has stated that the investigation into the alleged plot to assassinate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is an ongoing legal matter. They emphasized that they would refrain from commenting until the allegations are proven in court. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is designated as a terrorist by India and holds citizenship in both the United States and Canada.
A media question about Pannun’s case inquiry was addressed by spokesperson Matthew Miller during a State Department briefing. He mentioned that an indictment with alleged facts or claims had been officially returned, but he declined to say further until the jury has the opportunity to prove these charges.
In a significant development, a Czech court ruled that Prague can extradite Nikhil Gupta, a 52-year-old Indian, to the United States. Gupta is accused by US authorities of involvement in the alleged attempt to assassinate Sikh separatist leader Pannun. Nikhil Gupta, currently in custody, faces charges of murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The US Justice Department alleged that an Indian government employee recruited Nikhil Gupta to hire a hitman to assassinate Pannun. This purported plot was reportedly thwarted by US authorities.
In response to media reports implicating an Indian Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) official in the alleged assassination plot, the Indian External Affairs Ministry dismissed them as speculative and unsubstantiated. India has also initiated a high-level committee to investigate the matter.
Furthermore, the Russian Foreign Ministry remarked that Washington has not provided any reliable evidence implicating Indian citizens in the case. They emphasized the unacceptability of speculation in the absence of evidence.
Regarding the ongoing elections in India, the US State Department reiterated their stance of non-interference in the electoral processes of other countries. They affirmed that decisions regarding elections in India are for the Indian people to make. The US had not sent any observers for the Lok Sabha elections, respecting India’s status as an advanced democracy.
The Lok Sabha elections are being conducted in seven phases from April 19 to June 1, with votes to be counted on June 4. This election marks the second-longest polling exercise in India’s electoral history after the first general election held over five months between September 1951 and February 1952.