In a significant development, the Indian government has been summoned by the District Court for the Southern District of New York in response to a civil lawsuit filed by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a prominent Khalistani separatist. Pannun, who heads the radical organization Sikhs for Justice, alleges that the Indian government orchestrated a conspiracy to assassinate him.
The lawsuit names several high-profile Indian officials, including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, former Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) chief Samant Goel, R&AW agent Vikram Yadav, and Indian businessman Nikhil Gupta. The summons demands a response from the Indian government within 21 days.
This latest development comes after a series of concerning events related to Pannun’s safety. Last year, the US government successfully thwarted a plot to assassinate Pannun, who holds dual citizenship of the US and Canada. The Biden administration later confirmed the incident.
In response to these serious allegations, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has launched a high-level probe into the matter. Former MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi stated that the allegations are “a matter of concern” and “contrary to government policy.” External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar emphasized that India is “investigating” the matter and suggested that the US brought this issue to India’s attention in “good faith.”
Meanwhile, Nikhil Gupta, the Indian businessman accused of orchestrating the murder attempt, has pleaded not guilty in a federal court. He was extradited from the Czech Republic, where he was arrested last year. Court documents describe Gupta as a “senior field officer” with intelligence background and code CC-1.
The Indian government’s response to the summons and the ongoing investigations are being closely watched as they could have significant implications for India-US relations and the broader geopolitical landscape.
