NEW DELHI: India will send an inquiry committee on Tuesday to investigate American charges of involvement of a government official in a “foiled plot” to assassinate separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the US state department informed.
The inquiry committee from India is scheduled to visit Washington, DC on October 15 as part of their ongoing investigation.They plan to discuss the case, share the information they’ve gathered, and receive updates from US authorities on the progress of the case related to the “foiled plot”.
“The inquiry Committee will be travelling to Washington, D.C. on October 15th, as part of their ongoing investigations to discuss the case, including information they have obtained, and to receive an update from US authorities regarding the US case that is proceeding,” the statement by the US state department read.
“Additionally, India has informed the United States they are continuing their efforts to investigate other linkages of the former government employee and will determine follow-up steps, as necessary,” the US state department added in its statement.
In November last year, Indian national Nikhil Gupta was charged by US federal prosecutors for his involvement in a failed plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Gupta was arrested in the Czech Republic at the request of the US government.
Prosecutors alleged that Gupta, in coordination with an Indian government official, had agreed to pay an assassin $100,000 to kill Pannun, who resides in New York City. Pannun, labeled a terrorist by India, is a leader of the Khalistani separatist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).