US blames India for attacking Khalistani, India says investigation underway
After the US Department of Justice (DoJ) charged Indian citizen Nikhil Gupta (52) in connection with a failed plot to kill a US-based Khalistani leader, India called it a "matter of concern." The External Affairs Ministry added that it has launched a high-level investigation into the allegations. This came after the indictment said that an unnamed senior Indian intelligence officer enlisted Gupta to hire a hitman to kill the unnamed Khalistani separatist, most likely Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
Why does this story matter?
The Financial Times reported that the US foiled an attack on Pannun on its soil and raised concern about India's potential involvement in the plot. India formed a committee to investigate the inputs, which it said were regarding a nexus between organized criminals, gun runners, and terrorists. Similarly, in September, Canada accused India of being involved in designated Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar's killing on its soil. The indictment claims a link between the plot to kill Pannun and Nijjar.
What does the indictment say?
According to the DoJ, an anonymous Indian government worker, referred to as "CC-1," planned the assassination on US soil. At the official's direction, Gupta allegedly recruited the purported hitman for $100,000. The official provided Gupta with the victim's personal information, day-to-day activity, phone numbers, and home address. However, the hired hitman was an undercover US law enforcement officer. The indictment also indicated that the Gujarat Police dropped criminal charges against Gupta at the behest of the accused intelligence official.
Asked to avoid killing around PM Modi's US state visit
The US allegations reportedly predate Canada's allegations. Gupta asked the supposed contract killer to complete the job "as soon as possible" but to avoid days when high-level meetings between US and Indian officials were taking place. The accused official asked Gupta to "calm everything" for 10 days during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to the US from June 21 to 23. Meanwhile, Nijjar was assassinated on June 18 in the parking lot of the gurdwara he headed in Vancouver.
Gupta held in Czech Republic, awaiting extradition to US
Following Nijjar's murder in Canada, Gupta informed the hitman that Nijjar "was also the target" and "we have so many targets." The accused official sent Gupta a news article about the intended victim, presumably Pannun, and messaged him, "It's a priority now." Gupta was arrested in the Czech Republic on June 30 and is awaiting extradition to the US. He has been charged with murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, each carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
India's varied response to US and Canada
Pannun reportedly acted as Nijjar's lawyer and has been working to organize a "worldwide referendum" seeking support for Khalistan, a proposed Sikh ethnostate to be created by carving out Punjab from India. While India has rejected Canada's allegations and refused to cooperate in an investigation linked to Nijjar's murder, it has shown promptness regarding US allegations. Indian envoy to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, said the difference in India's response is based on the amount of evidence shared by them.
