MEA says high-level committee probe is underway


The Ministry of External Affairs has reacted to the Washington Post report on the Pannun murder plot and called it “unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations on a serious matter”.

In a statement, MEA spokesperson Randir Jaiswal said, “The report in question makes unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations on a serious matter.” He added, “There is an ongoing investigation of the High Level Committee set up by the Government of India to look into the security concerns shared by the US government on networks of organised criminals, terrorists and others.”

“Speculative and irresponsible comments on it are not helpful,” Jaiswal said.

In November last year, US federal prosecutors charged Indian national Nikhil Gupta with working with an Indian government employee in the foiled plot to kill Pannun, a Sikh extremist on American soil. Pannun, wanted in India on terror charges, holds dual citizenship of the US and Canada.

Reacting on the report, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, “This is a serious matter and we are taking that very very seriously. The Government of India has been very clear with us that they are taking this seriously and will investigate.” Pierre added, “We expect accountability from the government based on that. But we are going to continue to raise our concerns. That's not going to stop. We're going to continue to raise our concerns directly, with the Indian government.”

Pannun is one of the main leaders of the Khalistan movement and the legal advisor and spokesperson for Sikhs for Justice, which aims to promote the idea of a separate Sikh state. The Indian government has declared Pannun a terrorist.

The remarks by White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Monday came amid an investigative media report claiming that a RAW official identified as Vikram Yadav was involved in the assassination plot of Pannun in the US and the move was approved by then Indian spy agency chief Samant Goel.

(With Agency Inputs)