'Too much at stake, we'll be satisfied only with accountability': US envoy Garcetti on Pannun case

Eric Garcetti, the US Ambassador to India, has said that too much is at stake to not treat the Gurpatwant Singh Pannun episode correctly and the United States will only be satisfied when accountability is fixed.

The US Department of Justice (DoJ) has accused an Indian government official, Vikash Yadav, of directing a plot to assassinate Pannun, a Khalistani terrorist, on US soil. It has alleged that Yadav, as an officer of the intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), roped in another Indian national, drugs and arms smuggler Nikhil Gupta, to kill Pannun.

In an interview with The Times of India, Garcetti said that attempted murders of US nationals, whether by a friendly or an enemy nation, are unacceptable and a red line that cannot be crossed.

Garcetti said, “There’s no way we can compromise criminal activity and the fundamental values that murder-for-hire is illegal and that crossing borders for international murder plots is against the law. Any country’s first responsibility is defending its people’s rights, whether it’s freedom of speech or the right not to get killed. But there’s too much at stake to not get this right. I’m optimistic that we can get this right. We are collaborating, even the most difficult conversations are happening. I am confident India and America can get it right but it won’t be simple.”

The DoJ has said that Gupta, to carry out Pannun’s assassination which Yadav allegedly tasked him with, roped in another individual who was actually an informant of a US law-enforcement agency. Gupta was subsequently arrested and is currently in US custody awaiting trial. The DoJ has also filed charges against Yadav and has declared him as a ‘wanted’ person.

After the Joe Biden administration of the United States told India about the case, the Narendra Modi government set up a committee to look into the matter.

While Garcetti welcomed the Indian cooperation in the case so far, he said that “people in Washington will only be satisfied when accountability is achieved”.

Garcetti told ToI, “Our prosecutors have put forward evidence that merits criminal charges and that evidence can and will be shared in a proper way with the Indian investigation and I’d expect that the Indian system, just like the American system, knows that murder-for-hire plots are illegal and will hold people accountable. And that can happen probably in more than one way. Without accountability, justice won’t be served. I can’t speak about this individual’s criminal activities here in India but the prosecutors in the US clearly believe he was involved in a criminal conspiracy in America.”

Earlier this month, the Indian committee looking into the matter visited the United States and met US officials. The Indian government has sacked Yadav from service .

Even as the Biden administration pursues the case against Yadav and Gupta, it has been criticised for not acting against Khalistani terrorists and activists on its soil who issue threats and have even engaged in violence against Indian diplomatic facilities there. Gracetti said that the US doctrine believes in acting on actions, not mere words and that whenever actual threats were made or violence committed, action has been taken.

Garcetti said, “We always tell our Indian friends to focus on crimes. And when we focus on crimes, as opposed to opinions, we are able to see progress. When an Indian consulate is attacked, we launch a criminal investigation. We take the safety and security of Indian diplomats very seriously. We take terrorist acts, not words but acts, incredibly seriously.”

Garcetti said that he is “very proud” of India-US counter-terrorism efforts and referred to the case of Tahawwur Rana, an associate of David Coleman Headly and linked to the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks.

Garcetti said, “In the Tahawwur Rana case, we have done everything the right way. We have worked closely together and that can result in a victory against terrorism for both India and the US as friends. We will continue to take real threats seriously.”