Pannun plot: Did former RAW agent go rogue, mastermind the attempted murder?

The investigation into the alleged murder plot of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil has reached a crucial stage. According to a Bloomberg report, Indian officials have submitted their findings to US authorities about their findings into the failed assassination attempt.

What has the Indian probe revealed? Who was involved in the murder attempt on Khalistani leader Pannun? What does the US have to say about it?

We get you all the answers.

Involvement of ‘rogue’ operatives

The Indian authorities, as per a Bloomberg report, have submitted its findings of the government-appointed investigation panel to US authorities in which they have stated that rogue officials, not authorised by the government, had been involved in the now foiled plot to kill Sikh separatist leader — Gurpatwant Singh Pannun — in the US.

As per the report, a person involved in the matter said that at least one person directly involved in the murder plot no longer worked for India’s spy agency — Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). The report further added that the man was still in the employment of the Indian government, but asserted that he no longer worked for RAW.

The Bloomberg report further stated that India had not begun any criminal action against him as of now.

Earlier, last November, federal prosecutors in the US had accused Indian citizen, Nikhil Gupta , of plotting to kill Pannun at the behest of an Indian government official. As per their indictment, Nikhil Gupta, also known as Nick, had conspired to hire a hit man to assassinate a member of the Sikh separatist movement in New York City. The indictment had further stated that an Indian government employee, referred to as CC-1, had directed the plot to assassinate Pannun.

In the indictment papers, CC-1 has been described as a “senior field officer” whose responsibilities include “intelligence”. He has also been referenced as someone previously serving in India’s Central Reserve Police Force and receiving “officer training” in “battle craft” and “weapons.” The US had then added that it was CC-1 who had directed and masterminded the assassination plot from India.

India’s reaction

The External Affairs Ministry did not respond to Bloomberg’s request for a statement on the matter. India had set up an inquiry committee to look into the matter last December after the US had shared inputs with New Delhi. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had then told Rajya Sabha that the panel had been set up, as it had a bearing on the country’s national security.

“Insofar as the US is concerned, certain inputs were given to us as part of our security cooperation with the United States. Those inputs were of concern to us because they (were) related to the nexus of organised crime, trafficking and other matters. Because they have a bearing on our own national security, it was decided to institute an inquiry into the matter and an inquiry committee has been constituted,” he said.

US speaks

When asked about the Pannun plot, the US said that it was working with their Indian counterparts to hold the people involved accountable.

During a Congressional hearing on Wednesday, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Donald Lu told members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, “This is a serious issue. A serious issue between the United States and India. The Department of Justice has alleged that an Indian citizen at the behest of someone working in the Indian government has attempted to kill an American citizen on American soil. We take this in the administration incredibly seriously and have raised it at the highest levels with India.”

“We are at the moment working with India to encourage India to hold accountable, those responsible for this terrible crime. What we can see is that India itself has announced that they have created a committee of inquiry to look into this matter and we ask them to work quickly and transparently to make sure justice is done,” Lu said.

Lu’s comments came after Congressman Dean Phillips from Minnesota had asked if sanctions similar to those placed on people related to the killing of Alexei Navalny of Russia were being considered for those believed to be involved in the plot to murder Pannun.

Pannun and Nijjar murder plots

The alleged murder attempt on Pannun purportedly also has links to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.

According to US prosecutors, Nikhil Gupta, the Indian who is currently in a Czech prison awaiting US extradition, had reached out to the person he understood to be a hired killer and told him that Nijjar “was also the target” and that “we have so many targets.”

For the unaware, on 18 September last year, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau had in parliament said that security agencies were “actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar”. Nijjar, who is a Khalistani leader and declared terrorist by India, had been gunned down in Canada’s Surrey BC earlier in June.

India had refuted the allegations, describing them as “absurd” and “motivated”. Diplomatic ties between the two countries nose-dived with both sides expelling diplomats. India had also suspended visa services to Canadians, which they later resumed.

However, Canada’s allegations against India took a hit recently when New Zealand deputy prime minister Winston Peters questioned the lack of evidence pointing to India’s involvement in the matter. This was a significant development as New Zealand is Canada’s partner in the Five Eyes alliance. It had been reported that “shared intelligence among ‘ Five Eyes’ partners” had led Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau to make allegations against India.

With inputs from agencies