An inquiry committee set up by the Centre in November 2023 following a US allegation of a foiled bid to kill Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun by Indian agents in New York has recommended legal action against an unnamed individual.
The panel has probed the activities of some organised criminal groups and terrorist organisations that undermined the security interests of both India and the US.
Pannun is the general counsel for Sikhs for Justice, a North America-based Khalistani outfit accused of secessionist activities in Punjab and outlawed in India. The home ministry has designated him as a terrorist.
Vikash Yadav, said to be a former officer of India’s external intelligence agency RAW, was named by the US in connection with the failed assassination attempt on Pannun, who has dual citizenship of the US and Canada.
India had then denied the US allegations but constituted an internal investigation to look into the charge.
In December 2023, Yadav was arrested by Delhi police in a kidnapping and extortion case. He is currently out on bail.
At the request of the US government, Indian national Nikhil Gupta was arrested in Prague in 2023 on charges of being involved in the plot to kill Pannun and later extradited to the US from the Czech Republic.
In a statement on Wednesday night, the the Union home ministry 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 committee conducted its own investigation and also pursued leads provided by the US, the statement said, adding that the panel received full cooperation from the US authorities. It also examined several officials from different agencies and 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
statement said.
“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,” the statement added.
While announcing the constitution of the high-powered committee in November 2023, the external affairs ministry had said it would look into all relevant aspects of the matter (security concerns raised by the US).
The revelation about the “assassination plot” against Pannun had emerged shortly after outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in September 2023 that security agencies in his country were probing “credible allegations” about a potential link between Indian government agents and the killing of another Khalistan leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, on Canadian soil.