Desk: In a significant development, a US court has issued a summons to the Indian government over allegations related to a conspiracy to murder Khalistani extremist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu. The Indian government has expressed strong objections to this move. Indian Foreign Ministry officials have denounced the summons as entirely incorrect. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri emphasized that the move is unjustifiable, and India has raised formal objections.
The Southern District Court of New York has issued the summons to the Indian government, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, former RAW Chief Samant Goel, RAW agent Vikram Yadav, and businessman Nikhil Gupta. The summons requires all parties to respond within 21 days.
Foreign Secretary Misri stated that upon first learning of this matter, the government took immediate action. A high-level committee has already been formed to investigate the issue. He also pointed out the background of Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, noting his associations with unlawful organizations and his history of issuing hostile statements against Indian leaders and institutions. Pannu, the leader of the extremist group Sikhs for Justice, was declared a terrorist by the Indian government in 2020.
Last November, the Financial Times reported that a plot to murder Pannu had been thwarted by the US, a claim later confirmed by the Biden administration. Upon receiving this information, the Indian Foreign Ministry expressed concern and indicated that a high-level investigation would be conducted.