Washington Calls for Thorough Accountability from India

Newsreel Asia Insight #212
May 5, 2024

The Washington Post has identified an officer from India’s external intelligence agency RAW (Research and Analysis Wing), Vikram Yadav, as a key figure in the alleged plot to assassinate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on U.S. soil. The revelation comes amid heightened demands from Washington for accountability and clarity from the Indian government regarding the investigation.

“Yadav’s identity and affiliation, which have not previously been reported, provide the most explicit evidence to date that the assassination plan — ultimately thwarted by U.S. authorities — was directed from within the Indian spy service,” said the report by the Post, which added that higher-ranking RAW officials have also been implicated as part of a sprawling investigation by the CIA, FBI and other agencies.

In a vehement response, India dismissed the claims outlined in the Post’s report as baseless, with External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal condemning the “speculative” nature of the comments, as reported by Mint.

PTI quoted U.S. State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel as saying at a press conference: “We continue to expect accountability from the Government of India based on the results of the Indian inquiry committee’s work, and we are regularly working with them and enquiring for additional updates.”

In November 2023, U.S. federal prosecutors had charged Indian national Nikhil Gupta in connection with the failed “assassination attempt” of Pannun, who is classified as a terrorist under India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and holds citizenship in both the U.S. and Canada.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also accused India of potentially being involved in the 2023 murder of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia.

India’s strong denial of these claims was reiterated by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar during a December parliamentary session, where he confirmed the establishment of an inquiry committee to investigate the U.S.-provided information regarding the Pannun case.

An editorial from Deccan Herald commented that the named RAW officer, previously identified only as “CC1” in court documents, likely did not act alone but under higher authorisation. “Now, the only question is how far up the buck stops. RAW, India’s foreign intelligence agency, answers to the Prime Minister via the National Security Adviser,” it said.

“All this suggests that India’s most vaunted foreign relationship is not exactly blissful. It indicates an absence of trust between the two security establishments, which can cloud the bigger objectives of the bilateral ties,” it concluded.