India reacts to western media reports of US intel on Pannun's assassination plot

Against the backdrop of Western media reports over alleged plans to kill Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and Intel shared with India by the US, the MEA has responded. New Delhi confirmed having received US inputs on the "nexus between organized criminals, gun runners, terrorists and others" and said that it takes "such inputs seriously since it impinges on our own national security interests as well'.

In response to media queries on reports of discussions between India and US on security matters, spokesperson for Minister of External Affairs (MEA) Arindam Bagchi in a press release said, "During the course of recent discussions on India-US security cooperation, the US side shared some inputs pertaining to nexus between organised criminals, gun runners, terrorists, and others. The inputs are a cause of concern for both countries and they decided to take necessary follow up action."

This comes after a Financial Times report while quoting multiple sources aware of the matter reported that US thwarted a plot to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who holds dual citizenship - American and Canadian.

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The report also claimed that Washington raised this issued with the Indian government and warned that it has apprehensions over India's involvement in the alleged conspiracy.

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Bagchi also added that "issues in the context of US inputs are already being examined by relevant departments."

Pannun earlier shocked the nation with his grave threats to Air India passengers, leaving open the scars of the 1985 Kanishka bombings.

However, the report while shedding light on the plot did not provide any clarity if it "did not say whether the protest to New Delhi led the plotters to abandon their plan, or whether the FBI intervened and foiled a scheme already in motion."

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The report was solely backed by information from FT sources who sought anonymity while sharing the intel as the case at hand is highly sensitive.

Although the exact date was not revealed, the report claimed that Washington shared the intel related to Pannun with its allies after the Vancouver killing of another India-designated Khalistani terrorist and Canadian Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18, when he was fatally shot outside a gurudwara.

As far as flagging the Pannun assassination plot to the Indian government is concerned, the report while quoting an anonymous source said the warning was issued to New Delhi following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to Washington which took place from June 21 to 24.

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Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in September levelled serious allegations against India without giving any evidence. Trudeau said that there were “credible allegations” that the Indian government is involved in the Nijjar's killing, a charge which New Delhi not only rubbished but said were utterly "baseless."

Sealed indictment against an accused in plot?

Other than the alleged diplomatic exchange over the plot to kill Pannun between the US and India, the report goes on to say that US federal prosecutors have "filed a sealed indictment against at least one alleged perpetrator of the plot in a New York district court."

The report made these claims citing people who are aware of the legal case.

Giving further details on the alleged indictment, the Financial Times report said that the US justice department is now "debating whether to unseal the indictment and make the allegations public or wait until Canada finishes its investigation into Nijjar’s murder."

The people in knowledge of the proceedings and quoted by FT said that one individual who was charged in the alleged indictment is believed to have left the US.

However, there have been no official statement from US or the Justice Department over the matter.

Moreover, the US National Security Council told FT that US does “not comment on ongoing law enforcement matters or private diplomatic discussions with our partners."

“Upholding the safety and security of US citizens is paramount," the NSC reportedly added.

(With inputs from agencies)