MEA says U.S. charging Indian in plot to kill Khalistani separatist a ‘matter of concern’

MEA concerned over US DOJ filing linking Indian official to foiled plot to kill Sikh separatist; high-level probe committee to investigate all aspects of allegations. EAM spokesperson says US shared inputs on nexus between organised criminals, gunrunners, terrorists and other extremists, India taking seriously. Follow-up action to be taken based on findings of enquiry committee.

The Ministry of External Affairs (EAM) has said that the purported links between the indicted individual and the Indian government official in the U.S. Department of Justice filings on the plot to kill a Sikh separatist on American soil is a “matter of concern” and is not the “Indian government policy”.

EAM spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that a high-level probe committee will investigate all aspects of the allegations relating to the foiled plot to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh extremist and known to be an American and Canadian citizen.

On Wednesday, U.S. federal prosecutors charged Indian national Nikhil Gupta of working with an Indian government employee in the foiled plot to kill Pannun.

U.S. prosecutors informed a Manhattan court on Wednesday that authorities in the Czech Republic arrested and detained Mr. Gupta, and he is currently awaiting extradition to the U.S.

"As regards the case against an individual that has been filed in a U.S. court allegedly linking him to an Indian official, this is a matter of concern," Mr. Bagchi said.

"We have said and let me reiterate that this is also contrary to government policy," he said at a media briefing.

Mr. Bagchi said the "nexus between organised crime, trafficking, gunrunning and extremists at an international level is a serious issue for the law enforcement agencies and organisations to consider and it is precisely for that reason a high-level inquiry committee has been constituted and we will obviously be guided by its results."