“Speculative And Irresponsible”: India Slams US Media On Alleged Pannun Murder Plot (image-

India on Tuesday slammed a Washington Post report that alleged an Indian official was involved in plotting to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. 

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is a designated terrorist by India who resides in the United States. The US media report claims that Vikram Yadav, a former officer with India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) hired a hit team to target Gurpwant Singh. 

The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal responding to the claim called the report “unwarranted and unsubstantiated”. 

“There is an ongoing investigation of the high level committee set up by the Government of India to look into the security concerns shared by the US government on networks of organised criminals, terrorists and others,” he said.

Jaiswal was responding to media queries on the report. The US report claimed that “US intelligence agencies have assessed that the operation targeting Pannun was approved by the RAW chief at the time, Samant Goel”. It further added that Yadav transferred back to CRPF after the Pannun plot unraveled last year. 

In November last year, US federal prosecutors charged Indian national Nikhil Gupta with working with an Indian government employee in the foiled plot to kill Pannun. Pannun holds dual citizenship in the US and Canada. 

Jaiswal stated that there is an ongoing investigation by a high-level committee established by the Indian government to address security concerns raised by the US regarding criminal and terrorist networks. 

This came after tension flared in November 2022 when the Financial Times reported that the US had thwarted a plot to kill Pannun and issued a warning to India over its alleged involvement. 

India denied the accusation and set up a high-level committee in November 2023 to investigate the allegation.