US continues to expect accountability from India on Pannun's assassination bid

Washington: The US has said it expects accountability from India concerning the alleged role of an Indian government employee in the failed attempt to assassinate a Sikh separatist on US soil last summer.

In November last year, US federal prosecutors charged Indian national Nikhil Gupta with working with an Indian government employee in the foiled plot to kill Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who holds dual American and Canadian citizenship, in New York.

Gupta, who was arrested in the Czech Republic in June last year, was extradited to the US on June 14.

“We continue to expect accountability from the government of India in relation to the alleged role of an Indian government employee in the failed attempt to assassinate a US citizen on US soil that occurred last summer,” State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters in response to a question at his daily news conference.

“We continue to raise our concerns directly with the Indian government at senior levels,” he said.

India has denied the allegations but has constituted an internal investigations team to look into it.

Patel, however, declined to comment on a news report alleging that Canadian authorities claim to have arrested five Indian nationals planning to target a Sikh separatist at a wedding ceremony.

“As it relates to the news that you mentioned out of Canada, I would refer you to the Canadian government to comment on issues that are happening within their law enforcement system,” the official said.

He said that the US continues to raise our concerns directly with the Indian government at senior levels.