A high-level enquiry committee set up by the Centre in November 2023 has recommended legal action against an individual regarding “activities of some organised criminal groups, terrorist organisations, drug peddlers, etc., who undermined the security interests of both India and the US”.
What the MHA said
In a statement released on Wednesday, the MHA, without taking any names, said: “On receipt of information provided by US authorities regarding activities of some organised criminal groups, terrorist organisations, drug peddlers, etc., who undermined the security interests of both India and the US, a high-powered Enquiry Committee was set up by the Govt. of India in November 2023.”
“The Enquiry Committee conducted its own investigations, and also pursued leads provided by the US side. It received full cooperation from US authorities and the two sides also exchanged visits. The Committee further examined a number of officials from different agencies and also scrutinised relevant documents in this connection.”
“After a long enquiry, the Committee has submitted its report to the Government and recommended legal action against an individual, whose earlier criminal links and antecedents also came to notice during the enquiry. The Enquiry Committee has recommended that the legal action must be completed expeditiously.”
“The Committee has further recommended functional improvements in systems and procedures as also initiation of steps that could strengthen India’s response capability, ensure systematic controls and coordinated action in dealing with matters like this.”
Pannun assassination attempt
The Centre had set up a high-level panel in November 2023 shortly after concerns were raised by US authorities about security risks stemming from the alleged assassination plot of pro-Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York.
Pannun, who is wanted in India on terrorism charges, holds citizenship in both the US and Canada. The Union Home Ministry has classified him as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
“An Indian Enquiry Committee that was established to investigate activities of certain organized criminals is actively investigating the individual who was identified last year in the Department of Justice’s indictment as an Indian government employee who directed a foiled plot to assassinate a US citizen in New York City,” the US Department of State had said in a statement.
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 Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York.
Gupta, arrested in the Czech Republic in June last year, was extradited to the US on June 14.
India has denied the allegations but constituted an internal investigations team to look into it.
Members of the Indian government panel visited US in October 2024.
“These are members of high-level inquiry committee that had been set up in November 2023 to look into the inputs that had been shared with us by the US, and we have taken these inputs very seriously … we remain engaged with the US side on this particular matter,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had told reporters.
The revelation about the foiled “assassination plot” against Pannun emerged shortly after outgoing Canadian PM Justin Trudeau alleged potential Indian involvement in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18 in British Columbia. These claims were strongly refuted by Indian authorities.
