A US court has issued a summons to India’s National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, alongside former and current officials of India’s external intelligence agency, R&AW (The Research and Analysis Wing), in connection with an alleged assassination plot against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a prominent Khalistani separatist leader.
The summons, originating from the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, follows a civil lawsuit filed by Pannun, who holds dual citizenship in the US and Canada.
Mr. Pannun’s lawsuit accuses the Indian government of orchestrating a plot to assassinate him on American soil. This claim has ignited a significant diplomatic incident just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi would visit the US for the Quad Leaders’ Summit.
The lawsuit not only names Doval but also implicates former R&AW chief Samant Goel and R&AW agent Vikram Yadav, alongside Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national currently detained in the US on charges related to the same plot. Mr. Gupta, who was extradited from the Czech Republic, faces allegations of conspiring to murder Pannun, a move reportedly sanctioned by higher-ups in the Indian intelligence community.
India responds
India’s response was swift and sharp.
The Ministry of External Affairs, through Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, dismissed the allegations as ‘unwarranted and unsubstantiated,’ emphasizing the unlawful status of Pannun’s organization, Sikhs for Justice, under Indian law due to its separatist activities.
Mr. Misri’s statement reiterated the Indian government’s stance on sovereignty and territorial integrity and suggested that the allegations are part of a broader narrative aimed at destabilizing India.
What next?
The summons requires a response within 21 days, setting the stage for what could be a prolonged legal and diplomatic battle. The development comes at a sensitive time, potentially overshadowing the upcoming high-level engagements between India and the US, including PM Modi’s participation in the UN General Assembly.