India on Thursday strongly reacted to summons issued by a US court to the Indian government over the civil suit filed by pro-Khalistan separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun alleging a plot to assassinate him. This included the recent killing of a prominent leader of the Khalistan movement, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in British Columbia.
Besides the Indian government, Pannun also sued several senior intelligence officials, including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, former R&AW chief Samant Goel, R&AW agent Vikram Yadav, and Indian businessman Nikhil Gupta. As per the summons, a reply has been sought within 21 days.
Reacting to Pannun’s lawsuit against the Indian government in the US over an ‘assassination’ attempt, New Delhi said that the summons was “completely unwarranted.” Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that this particular case has been lodged, but it doesn’t change our views about the underlying situation.
“As we’ve said earlier, these are completely unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations. Now that this particular case has been lodged, It doesn’t change our views about the underlying situation. I would only invite your attention to the person behind this particular case whose antecedents are well known. I would also underline the fact that the organization so-called that this person represents is an unlawful organization, has been declared as such under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act of 1967 and it has been done so on account of its involvement in anti-national and subversive activities aimed at disrupting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India,” Misri said during the afternoon briefing.
#WATCH | On designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun filed lawsuit against Indian govt in US over ‘assassination’ attempt, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says, “As we’ve said earlier, these are completely unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations. Now that this particular… pic.twitter.com/qAbYrc177C
— ANI (@ANI) September 19, 2024
Pannun, designated as a terrorist by India, is seeking damages from India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, former R&AW chief Samant Goel, R&AW officer Vikram Yadav, and Nikhil Gupta, accused of attempting to murder Pannun. Gupta is currently being held in a Brooklyn prison awaiting trial. According to the Times of India, Pannun’s lawsuit, filed in a New York federal district court, claims the Indian government was involved in the assassination plots. India has denied any involvement.
Nijjar was gunned down outside his gurdwara in Surrey, B.C., in June. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in September 2023 that the assassination appears to have been ordered by India. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has charged four Indian nationals residing in Canada with Nijjar’s murder.
One of the defendants in Pannun’s lawsuit is Nikhil Gupta, who is currently held in a Brooklyn prison while awaiting trial for his alleged involvement in a murder-for-hire plot. The other officials—Vikram Yadav, Samant Goel, and Ajit Doval—remain in India and have not been charged. “While this action is only indicting the foot soldiers, this lawsuit is really against the government of India,” Canada based The Globe and Mail quoted Pannun as saying.