Ganesh Kendale
NEW DELHI: An Indian inquiry committee will be arriving in Washington on Tuesday to continue its investigation into charges levelled by the US regarding the involvement of an Indian government official in a “foiled plot” to assassinate separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the US state department has informed.
The panel plans to discuss the case, share information they have gathered, and receive updates from US authorities on the progress of the case related to the “foiled plot”, the department added.
“Additionally, India has informed the United States they are continuing their efforts to investigate other linkages of the former government employee and will determine follow-up steps, as necessary,” the US state department added in its statement.
In November last year, Indian national Nikhil Gupta was charged by US federal prosecutors for his involvement in a plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Gupta was arrested in the Czech Republic at the request of the US government.
Prosecutors alleged that Gupta, in coordination with an Indian government official, had agreed to pay an assassin $100,000 to kill Pannun, who resides in New York City. However, India has denied the allegations but has formed an internal investigations team to look into the matter.
Pannun, labeled a terrorist by India, is a leader of the Khalistani separatist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).
