Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Khalistani, filed a lawsuit in the US on Thursday. India vehemently rejected it, describing it as “unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations” directed at the Indian government.
Leader of the outlawed Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) organization and labelled terrorist by India, Pannun filed the action in a US federal district court, alleging that the Indian government was planning an assassination attempt against him.
Misri continued by outlining Pannun’s history and his ties to an organization that the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in India had classified as a terrorist outfit. He addressed Pannun, saying, “I would only invite your attention to the person behind this particular case whose antecedents are well known.”
In November, the US Justice Department had previously made public an indictment against Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, alleging that he hired hitmen to commit the murder. But it revealed that the hitmen were actually US law enforcement undercover officers.
The complaint was filed a few days before Modi was scheduled to make a high-profile diplomatic visit to the United States. According to a story by The Times of India, it charges a number of Indian officials, including former Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) chief Samant Goel and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, of taking part in an abortive attempt to kill Pannun in New York last year.
Pannun claims that his life is still in danger and is now requesting financial recompense in the legal lawsuit. According to his lawsuit, Prime Minister Modi knew about the conspiracy and it was carried out by senior Indian intelligence officers with Doval and Goel’s consent. Nonetheless, because of his immunity as the leader of a foreign state, Modi is not listed as a defendant in the complaint.