India Criticizes Washington Post for Alleging Hit Team in US to Kill Khalistani Terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun

A report published on Sunday alleged that US intelligence agencies have assessed that the operation to kill Pannun was approved by Samant Goel, the then chief of India’s spy agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). In response to the report, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that the report in question makes unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations on a serious matter.

He also mentioned that 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. Mr. Jaiswal expressed that speculative and irresponsible comments on the matter are not helpful.

India has recently indicated that it will pursue terrorists even if they escape to other countries. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that India will enter Pakistan to kill anyone who escapes over the border after trying to carry out terrorist activities in the country.

He emphasized that while India always wants to maintain good relations with its neighboring countries, it will not spare those who come to India and promote terrorist activities. The US Justice Department had indicted an Indian national in the alleged foiled assassination plot.

It alleged that an Indian government employee (named CC-1) recruited an Indian national named Nikhil Gupta to hire a hitman to carry out the assassination of the Sikh Separatist, which was foiled by US authorities. Canada has also alleged Indian government agents were involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia.

India has pointed out that Canada has been consistently giving space to anti-India extremists. The Ministry of External Affairs had previously stated that the nexus between organized crime, trafficking, and gun running and extremists at an international level is a serious issue for law enforcement agencies and organizations to consider.

It mentioned that a high-level committee has been constituted to address the issue and that they will be guided by its results.