Page 6 - The Indian EYE 120823

NATION DECEMBER 08, 2023 | The Indian Eye 6

Experts believe the US

allegations on Indian hit jobs

will not affect bilateral ties

After the US report, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calls on the Indian

government to cooperate with Hardeep Singh Nijjar probe

OUR BUREAU
Washington, DC/New Delhi/Toronto
n a major move on Wednesday,
India said it has constituted a
Ihigh-level enquiry committee to
look into all the relevant aspects re-
garding the concerns shared by the
United States on bilateral security co-
operation. External Affairs Ministry
spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said
in a statement today that the Indian
government will be taking “neces-
sary follow-up action” based on the
findings of the enquiry committee.
“We have already said that during the
course of discussions with the US on
bilateral security cooperation, the US
side shared some inputs pertaining to
nexus between organized criminals,
gun runners, terrorists and others,”
Bagchi said in a statement.
“We had also indicated that In-
dia takes such inputs seriously since
they impinge on our national security
interests as well, and relevant depart-
ments were already examining the is-
sue,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, Indian national
Nikhil Gupta is currently in custody
and has been charged with murder-
for-hire, which carries a maximum NSA Ajit Doval with the US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan during at India House in Washington (ANI)
sentence of 10 years in prison. Czech
authorities had arrested and de-
tained Gupta on June 30, pursuant tration, a United States federal law organised criminals, gun runners and Times published a report claiming
to the bilateral extradition treaty enforcement agency under the US terrorists. that the US thwarted a plan to al-
between the United States and the Department of Justice. The source On November 22, the MEA had legedly assassinate India-designated
Czech Republic. it is alleged introduced Gupta to a informed that the US had shared terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun
The Justice Department claimed purported hitman, who was a DEA some inputs pertaining to a “nexus on American soil. US had informed
that in or about May 2023, CC-1 (an undercover officer. The purported between organized criminals, gun India of concerns regarding the al-
Indian government official) allegedly hitman was offered USD 100,000 runners, terrorists and others” during leged plot to kill Pannun, the Finan-
recruited Gupta to orchestrate the to murder the Separatist leader, the the course of recent discussions on In- cial Times reported quoting people
assassination of the activist in the Justice Department claims. dia-US security cooperation. familiar with the matter.
United States. The charges contained in the in- Bagchi had said that India takes However, the news report failed
At CC-1’s direction, Gupta dictment are merely accusations, and such inputs seriously since it impinges to elaborate whether the Federal Bu-
allegedly contacted an individual the defendant is presumed innocent on its own security interests as well. reau of Investigation (FBI) in the US
whom he believed to be a crimi- unless and until proven guilty. He said the inputs are the cause of was involved in the thwarting of the
nal associate, but who was in fact The unsealing of the indictment concern for both countries and nec- plan nor does it mention the specif-
a confidential source working with follows recent sharing of informa- essary follow-up action is being taken. ic nature of the communication be-
the Drug Enforcement Adminis- tion by the US on a nexus between Earlier, the UK-based Financial

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