MEA responds to report linking India and Pannun's 'assassination' plot
What's the story
The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday commented on a report by The Washington Post, stating that it contains "unwarranted...unsubstantiated imputations" in connection with the alleged involvement of Indian agents in the plot to kill pro-Khalistan leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. In a report, dated April 29, the United States newspaper claimed that the former chief of the Research and Analysis Wing, Samant Goel, approved the alleged plot to kill Pannun. To recall, India declared Pannun a designated terrorist in 2020.
Probe Update
Ongoing investigation into security concerns
In a statement released on Tuesday, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "The report in question makes unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations on a serious matter." "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 organized criminals, terrorists and others. Speculative and irresponsible comments on it are not helpful," he added.
Twitter Post
Read the government's response here
Our response to media queries on a story in The Washington Post:https://t.co/ifYYng7CT3 pic.twitter.com/LEIso6euN6
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) April 30, 2024
Allegations
Report links ex-RAW official to assassination plots
The report implicated Vikram Yadav, a former RAW official, in orchestrating plots to assassinate Sikh extremists abroad—including the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada in June 2023. The article claimed that Yadav's actions were approved by Goel. The US first mentioned the link between Yadav and the "plots" to the Indian government in August 2023, and later President Joe Biden discussed it with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the former's visit to India last September, said the report.
US Response
White House expresses concern over allegations
Reacting to the report, the White House on Monday said that it views the reported involvement of R&AW officials in two assassination plots in Canada and the United States as a serious matter. "This is a serious matter, and we're taking that very, very seriously," Reuters quoted White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre as saying. "We're going to continue to raise our concerns," he added.