Issue raised with India at highest levels: US officials

The US may have first raised the issue of the possible involvement of an Indian government employee in an alleged plot to assassinate Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil at least four months ago, and the issue has been raised at the “highest levels”, US officials said.

- Prashant Jha

'PLOT' TO KILL PANNUN - INDIAN NATIONAL INDICTED

They added that the issue has been discussed at the level of the national security advisers of the two countries, the heads of the respective intelligence agencies, the two foreign ministers, and even the heads of government, with the messaging from the US being consistent -- the potential of such activities to “permanently damage” the relationship, the possible “repercussions” on the bilateral relationship, the need for accountability in this case and an “assurance” that it wouldn’t happen again.

On Wednesday, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) unsealed an indictment filed by federal prosecutors against a man named Nikhil Gupta.

The indictment alleged that a serving Indian government employee involved in intelligence and security affairs had assigned Gupta to hire hitmen — who turned out to be undercover agents for American law enforcement — to kill Pannun, a dual American-Canadian national who has been designated as a terrorist by the government of India. These remain allegations that are yet to be proven in a court of law.

The allegations have also had an impact on the mood on Capitol Hill, with the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) chair Ben Cardin announcing that the committee will hold a hearing on the “scope of global transitional repression”.