Vantage | Why India probing 'murder plot' is a message to US and Trudeau

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who is a Khalistani terrorist, was born in India and is a dual citizen of the US and Canada. He founded the Sikhs for Justice in 2007 and acts as general counsel for the group.

Pannun has threatened Indians and has asked Punjabi youth to take up arms. He wants a separate Sikh state. Now, America says an Indian national tried to assassinate him.

On November 29, a person named Nikhil Gupta was charged by the US Justice Department for allegedly plotting the murder of a US citizen.

The indictment says Nikhil Gupta tried to hire a hitman – to kill a US citizen. This was for $100,000. The hitman turned out to be an undercover federal agent. Now, the indictment doesn't mention who the target was. It just says it was someone who advocates for a separate Sikh State.

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But reports suggest it was Pannun. He was the subject of the plot. The indictment also mentions an Indian government employee. Again, he is not named, but referred to as CC-1. The Department of Justice says, CC-1 was a senior Indian officer, and he was the one directing the plot from India.

This officer then hired Gupta in May — the pair apparently met in New Delhi — they used to stay in touch via texts — and after his orders, Gupta tried to hire a hitman, but the hitman turned out to be an undercover agent.

Gupta paid him $15,000 upfront. All of this is mentioned in the indictment. Nikhil Gupta has now been arrested. He was caught in the Czech Republic. He is now awaiting extradition to the United States. Of course, these are all very serious allegations.

The White House says it has raised the matter with New Delhi, when CIA director William Burns was in India, so was the National Intelligence Director Avril Haines. They were here to discuss Washington's concerns.

So what is New Delhi saying? India says it is investigating the claims. It has set up a high-level inquiry committee.

So, Washington has raised the issue, and India responded. It has vowed to investigate it, and frankly, that's how things are done.

Biden did not go to the US House of Representatives and accuse India of attempted assassination. He took the diplomatic route. He discussed it with New Delhi. But who will explain this to Justin Trudeau?

In September, Trudeau accused India of killing Hardeep Singh Nijjar. He said it in the Canadian parliament. And now, he is back to making the same allegations.

Of course, Trudeau saw this as a perfect opportunity — a way to bring the focus back to himself. But the fact is — he made these allegations two months ago — he said he had proof — 60 days on, he hasn't shared it. Not a shred of evidence is there. But the allegations continue. Which brings us to the main issue. The issue of India's national security.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar was a Khalistani terrorist and so is Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. They have threatened India- and Indians, and they always got away with it. They were given a safe haven. Why is that?

Washington expressed concern about this assassination plot, and India listened to them, and promised to investigate it.

But what happens when India expresses concern? What about the security of its diplomats and people? What happens when New Delhi seeks action against Khalistani terrorists operating in these countries? Does the US respond with the same promptness and sincerity?

The US has taken up this case at the highest levels — the case of a bona fide terrorist — but what about making an effort to crack down on them? On making sure that America is not a haven for Khalistani terrorism?

Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.

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