In a sharp rebuke to a US court summons issued against the Indian government over a civil suit filed by Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Thursday described the action as “unwarranted” and based on “unsubstantiated imputations.” Pannun, who leads the banned group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleging a plot by Indian officials to assassinate him.
The US court summons named the Government of India, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, former R&AW (Research and Analysis Wing) chief Samant Goel, businessman Nikhil Gupta, and R&AW agent Vikram Yadav. The Indian government and these officials have been asked to respond to the summons within 21 days.
Responding to the legal move, Foreign Secretary Misri said, “As we’ve said earlier, these are completely unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations. Now that this particular case has been lodged, it doesn’t change our views about the underlying situation. I would only invite your attention to the person behind this particular case, whose antecedents are well known.”
Misri also emphasized that the organization Pannun represents, Sikhs for Justice, is an outlawed entity in India. “I would also underline the fact that the so-called organisation that this person represents is an unlawful organisation. It has been declared as such under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) of 1967 due to its involvement in anti-national and subversive activities aimed at disrupting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India,” he added.
Background of the Case
Pannun, who holds dual citizenship in the United States and Canada, has been accused of delivering incendiary speeches and issuing threats against Indian leaders and institutions. The Indian government designated him as a terrorist in 2020 under the UAPA. The US court’s move follows recent media reports, including from the Financial Times, that alleged the United States had foiled a plot to assassinate Pannun in New York. In November, US officials confirmed the existence of the alleged plot, which reportedly involved Indian agents.
Nikhil Gupta, an Indian businessman named in the summons, was arrested in the Czech Republic at the request of the US government last year. He was extradited to the US in June 2023 and has been charged with involvement in the purported assassination plot. Similarly, R&AW officer Vikram Yadav has been implicated by US media reports, including an April 2024 article by The Washington Post, which claimed that former R&AW chief Samant Goel had approved the operation. India has strongly rejected these allegations, with official statements reiterating that the claims are unfounded.
India’s Response and Diplomatic Implications
In its first response to the issue, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed concern over the lawsuit. Former MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi emphasized that linking Indian officials to such activities was “contrary to government policy.”
Despite the escalating situation, India has maintained that this legal case will not harm its relationship with the United States. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had previously acknowledged that the US had brought the matter to India’s attention “in good faith,” and assured that India was conducting a thorough investigation. “I do not think the fundamental course of the upward trajectory of India-US ties is impacted by this at all,” Jaishankar told PTI in an interview in May 2023.
India’s stance has been one of outright dismissal of the accusations, characterizing the lawsuit and reports as based on disinformation. Nevertheless, the ongoing investigation, and the high-level diplomatic engagement between the two countries, underscore the importance of maintaining strong bilateral ties amidst the allegations.
