PM Modi Reacts to Pannun’s ‘Killing Plot’, Says ‘Minority’ Will Not Derail India-US Relations » Today Latest Stories

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded to the rumors of an Indian-US assassination plot to kill Khalistani leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, saying he will “see” any evidence but US-India relations will not be compromised by “few”. events”.

In an exclusive interview with the Financial Times, PM Modi said: “If someone gives us any information, we can look into it. If our citizen has done something good or bad, we are ready to look into it. Our commitment is to follow the law.”

The US charged Nikhil Gupta, 52, with first-degree murder, which carries a 10-year prison sentence, and conspiracy to commit murder, which carries a 10-year prison sentence. Southern District of New York Matthew G Olsen said. US authorities say the Guptas agreed to pay an assassin $100,000 to kill a separatist Sikh leader living in New York City.

India designated Pannun as a terrorist in 2020, a charge he has denied.

Noting that India is “deeply concerned about the activities of some foreign extremist groups”, the Prime Minister said: “These things, for the sake of freedom of speech, have resorted to threats and incitement to violence.”

Despite the noise that the alleged attack had caused tensions between India and the US, Prime Minister Modi said: “There is strong bilateral support for strengthening this relationship, which is a clear sign of a strong and stable partnership. Defense and counter-terrorism cooperation has been a major part of the partnership. “I don’t think it’s appropriate to associate several events with the relationship between the two countries.”

Court documents say that earlier this year, “an Indian government official (CC-1), who worked with others, including the Guptas, in India and elsewhere, ordered the assassination of a US citizen lawyer and activist.” .of Indian origin living in New York City (the victim)”.

The press release says Gupta is an associate of “CC-1” and has described his involvement in international drug and arms smuggling through “his connections with CC-1 and others”.

“CC-1” is an Indian government official, who has variously described himself as a “senior officer” responsible for “security” and “intelligence”, and who has also claimed to have served in the Central Reserve Police Force and received. “Training hyenas” in “war” and “arms”, says the newspaper.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs had earlier announced that New Delhi had set up a high-level committee to investigate the US objections and would “take action”.

The New York trial in November came close after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in September that his country was investigating whether New Delhi’s “proxies” were responsible for the June killing of another Khalistani leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Britain. Columbia. In response to the allegations, India described the allegations as “absurd” and responded by forcing 41 Canadian diplomats to leave the country.