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Alleged plot to murder Khalistani terrorist thickens with U.S. blaming Indian official behind the conspiracy

9 months ago
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In yet another surprising claim made by a US-based media, it is reported that the Joe Biden administration sent two top intelligence officials to India to press for a probe into an alleged plot to assassinate a Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil. 

The report came on a day when India said that it had set up a “high-level” enquiry committee on November 18 to look into allegations made by the US government regarding an Indian plot targeting Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a U.S.-based Khalistani activist wanted on terror charges. It is important to note that Pannun has been designated a terrorist by Indian authorities under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). He is a vocal critic of the Indian government and an advocate for separatist movements in Punjab.

Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, issued a statement acknowledging the seriousness with which India views the allegations and the ongoing investigation into the matter and said, “We have already said that during the course of discussions with the US on bilateral security cooperation, the US side shared some inputs pertaining to the nexus between organized criminals, gun runners, terrorists, and others.”

The Ministry of External Affairs has also called the alleged charges against India of trying to murder US-based Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun “a matter of concern and also contrary to the government policy”.

“On November 18, 2023, the Government of India constituted a high-level Enquiry Committee to look into all the relevant aspects of the matter. The Government of India will take necessary follow-up action based on the findings of the Enquiry Committee,” Bagchi added. Earlier last week, The Financial Times had reported citing US officials, that America foiled India’s alleged plan to kill Pannun, who leads Sikhs For Justice.

US charges Indian man in alleged plot to kill Pannun

The United States Department of Justice (DoJ) has charged an Indian national for his involvement in a plot to murder a US-based Khalistani leader, an official press release on Wednesday (November 29) stated.

“Today in the Southern District of New York, a superseding indictment was unsealed alleging murder-for-hire charges against Indian national Nikhil Gupta, aka Nick, 52, in connection with his participation in a foiled plot to assassinate a US citizen in New York City,” the statement said.

According to the DoJ release, “Earlier this year, an Indian government employee, working together with others, including Gupta, in India and elsewhere, directed a plot to assassinate on US soil an attorney and political activist who is a US citizen of Indian origin residing in New York City.”

DoJ accused a senior Indian intelligence official, who has yet been unnamed but referred to as CC-1, as the mastermind of the assassination plot. The charges allege that the Indian intelligence official hired an individual named Nikhil Gupta to hire a hit man with an advance payment.

Nikhil Gupta is alleged to be an associate of CC-1 who was hired to plan the assassination in the United States. The DoJ also alleges that the Gujarat Police dropped criminal charges against Mr. Gupta at the request of the Indian intelligence official in order to facilitate the contract killing.

“CC-1 is an Indian government agency employee who has variously described himself as a ‘Senior Field Officer’ with responsibilities in ‘Security Management’ and ‘Intelligence,’ and who also has referenced previously serving in India’s Central Reserve Police Force and receiving ‘officer training’ in ‘battle-craft’ and ‘weapons’,” the DoJ statement said.

It is important to note that the allegation made by DoJ, also claims for a link between the alleged plot against Mr. Pannun and the plot to kill Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in which Canada had earlier accused Indian government agents for masterminding the attack.

Delicate diplomatic issue:

The issue is highly delicate for both India and the Biden administration as they try to build closer ties in the face of a rising China perceived as a threat to both democracies.

It is important to note that, the Indian government’s reaction to the U.S. government’s allegations regarding Mr. Pannun, including the establishment of the high-level enquiry committee, is in stark contrast to the reaction to the allegations made by the Canadian government over Nijjar, which included the expulsion of two-thirds of the Canadian High Commission in India.

The case appears to be straight out of a spy movie:

“Murder for hire is a crime out of a movie,” FBI assistant director in charge James Smith was quoted as saying in the Department of Justice about the plot that US investigators unearthed. “But the plot, in this case, was all too real”.

Nikhil Gupta, who was allegedly involved in narcotics and weapons trafficking, was arrested in the Czech Republic at the request of US authorities on June 30, the day he arrived there from India.

The indictment says Gupta was facing a criminal case in India, which the Indian government official promised would be dismissed if the murder was arranged. 

Here the plot thickens, with an unnamed Indian government employee identified as CC-1, as per US authorities, “agreed in dealings brokered by Gupta” to pay the undercover agent $100,000 for the killing.

According to the charges made by the US prosecutors, the Indian officials, termed CC-1, allegedly “recruited” Gupta in early May this year. Their communications on encrypted applications had been intercepted and were filed with the charges.

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