Individual accused of Pannun murder plot no longer employed by India: US

The US said that it was “satisfied” following a meeting with an Indian inquiry committee set up to probe the foiled assassination plot of Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said New Delhi had informed that the individual who was accused of directing the assassination plot on US soil is “no longer an employee of the Indian government”.
While addressing a press briefing on Wednesday, Miller was asked about the meeting with the inquiry committee in Washington, to which he replied, “We’ve received an update from them on the investigation that they have been conducting. It was a productive meeting.”
“They (committee) did inform us that the individual who was named in the Justice Department indictment is no longer an employee of the Indian government,” he added.
Former R&AW officer Vikram Yadav, who was arrested in Delhi, is currently on bail. He has been accused by the US of being involved in the conspiracy to kill Pannun.
He was referred to as ‘CC-1’ in the State Department indictment.
The State Department spokesperson also stressed that the US was “satisfied with the cooperation” of the Centre.
“We continue to work with them on that, but we do appreciate the cooperation, and we appreciate them updating us on their investigation as we update them on ours.”
He, however, did not comment on any further meetings with the committee.
Besides probing the foiled plot to assassinate the Khalistani terrorist, the inquiry committee is also investigating the activities of certain organised criminals.
In November 2023, US prosecutors charged an Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, for his involvement in the conspiracy alongside the alleged Indian government official, targeting Pannun in New York.
Gupta was arrested in the Czech Republic in June and extradited to the US on June 14.
Following his extradition, he was produced before a federal court in New York where he pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
He faces charges of murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, each carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Pannun holds dual citizenship of the US and Canada, and is wanted in India on terror charges. He has been designated a terrorist under the stringent anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
India has denied any involvement in the alleged attempt to assassinate Pannun and has also launched a high-level investigation into the allegations.