Page 8 - The Indian EYE 121523

NATION DECEMBER 15, 2023 | The Indian Eye 8

Pannun Case: India faces pressure as the White

House, FBI and Five Eyes demand accountability

FBI Director Christopher expected to visit India next week;

NIA is preparing to take up the issue of Pannun with the visiting US official

OUR BUREAU
Washington, DC/New Delhi

he alleged failed plot to kill an anti-India
person on the US soil continues to roil In-
Tdia-US relations, though both countries are
being cautious. As per the Court documents filed
by the US Justice Department, an unnamed Indi-
an government official colluded with Gupta in the
plot to kill Pannun. Subsequently, New Delhi has
formed a high-level special Enquiry Committee to
thoroughly investigate the issue.
In a major move, US Principal Deputy Na-
tional Security Advisor Jon Finer acknowledged
India’s establishment of a Committee of Enquiry
to investigate plotting in the US. In the statement,
White House said, “Finer acknowledged India’s
establishment of a Committee of Enquiry to inves-
tigate lethal plotting in the United States and the
importance of holding accountable anyone found
responsible.”
His statement comes after the US Justice De-
partment unsealed an indictment against an Indian
national for his alleged involvement in a foiled plot
to assassinate a US-based leader of the Sikh Sepa-
ratist Movement and a citizen in New York.
The US Justice Department has claimed that
an Indian government employee (named CC-1),
who was not identified in the indictment filed in
a federal court in Manhattan, recruited an Indian
national named Nikhil Gupta to hire a hitman to
carry out the assassination, which was foiled by US US Principal Deputy National Security Advisor (NSA) Jonathan Finer meets Vikram Misri, Deputy National Security Adviser
authorities, according to prosecutors.
India has already constituted a high-level en- (Strategic Affairs), National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) on Wednesday (ANI)
quiry committee to look into all the relevant aspects
regarding the concerns shared by the United States need for a thorough investigation. “We want it fully Meanwhile, speaking about India-US relations
and Pannu will be taking “necessary follow-up ac- investigated and those responsible to be held prop- during a panel discussion at the Carnegie ‘Global
tion” based on the findings. erly accountable. It’s under active investigation. Technology Summit’ held in New Delhi, Ambas-
Now, the White House has emphasized the We’ve said that we’re glad that our Indian counter- sador Eric Garcetti said, “This was the Number 1
strategic partnership between the United States parts are taking it seriously and doing that. We want country she (US Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen)
and India while urging New Delhi to ensure ac- those responsible for these attacks to be held fully went to outside the United States. Four times this
countability in the alleged plot to assassinate Gur- accountable, but I won’t get ahead of an investiga- year. The Secretary of State (Antony Blinken) just
patwant Singh Pannun, an American citizen. tion that isn’t complete,” he added. came here for the third time. Secretary of Defense
National Security spokesperson John Kirby ad- Also, with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Lloyd Austin) for the second time. The FBI direc-
dressed reporters at a White House news confer- (FBI) Director Christopher Wray expected to visit tor is here next week.”
ence, highlighting the importance of the bilateral India next week, sources have said that the National Amid the indictment of an Indian in an alleged
relationship. “India is a strategic partner. We’re Investigation Agency (NIA) is preparing to take up foiled assassination plot in the US, State Depart-
deepening that strategic partnership. They’re a the issue of Pannun with the visiting US official. ment spokesperson Mathew Miller said on Tuesday
member of the Quad in the Pacific. We participate It is expected that Wray will meet officials of that the US takes the matter ‘very seriously’, adding
with them on a range of issues and we want to see both the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as that India has launched its investigation into the
that continue unabated. That said, at the same time, well as NIA here in the national capital during his matter and they will wait for the results.
we certainly recognize the seriousness of these alle- India visit, said sources. “They told us they would conduct an investiga-
gations,” Kirby said. The US ambassador to India Eric Garcetti con- tion. They have publicly announced an investigation
Responding to a query on the potential impact firmed at an event in Delhi on Wednesday about the and now we’ll wait to see the results of the investiga-
on the India-US relationship, Kirby stressed the visit of FBI Director Christopher Wray next week. tion. It’s something we take very seriously,” he added.

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