MEA Dismisses Washington Post's Report on Pannun Murder Plot, Calls it Speculative & Irresponsible

New Delhi: After a report by a US-based newspaper claimed involvement of R&AW officer in the alleged murder plot of designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday, April 30, dismissed it as speculative. 

India's foreign ministry's spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal called the Washington Post report speculative and irresponsible. He said that the report makes  unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations on a serious matter which are not helpful. On the on-going investigation, Jaiswal said that a high-level committee has been set up by the Indian government to look into the matter. 

“The report in question makes unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations on a serious matter. There is an ongoing investigation of the High-Level Committee set up by the Government of India to look into the security concerns shared by the US government on networks of organised criminals, terrorists and others. Speculative and irresponsible comments on it are not helpful,” said Jaiswal. 

What Washington Post's Report Said?

The newspaper, citing unnamed sources, named a RAW officer- Vikram Yadav-in connection with the alleged plot to assassinate Pannun. Vikram Yadav was involved in the assassination plot of Pannun in the US and the move was approved by the then Indian spy agency chief Samant Goel, the report claimed.

The Washington Post claimed that the Biden administration has refrained from making charges against Yadav. "This is a serious matter and we're taking that very very seriously. The Government of India has been very clear with us that they are taking this seriously and will investigate," said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on the report.

Who is Gurpatwant Singh Pannun

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is one of the main leaders of the Khalistan movement and the legal advisor and spokesperson for banned organisation Sikhs for Justice, which aims to promote the idea of a separate Khalistani state. Pannun, wanted in India on terror charges, holds dual citizenship of the US and Canada. He has issued multiple threats on different occassions including Republic Day celebrations and pran pratishtha at Ayodhya's Ram Mandir. 

All About Pannun Murder Plot

In November last year, US federal prosecutors charged Indian national Nikhil Gupta with working with an Indian government employee in the foiled plot to kill Pannun, on American soil. The US agency had accused Gupta of planning to assassinate Pannun. 

On December 7, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in Parliament that India instituted an inquiry committee to look into the inputs received from the US in the case as the matter has a bearing on national security.

EAM Jaishankar on Pannun Murder Plot 

On the issue of India being a part of investigation in the case, India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar had earlier said that it was in New Delhi's interest to investigate the allegations. India's national security interests are involved in its investigation into the alleged involvement of a government official in the assassination plot aimed at designated-terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, claimed External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar while responding to the comments made by US ambassador to India Eric Garcetti. 

"It is something we are investigating as we believe our own national security interests are involved in that investigation," said Dr Jaishankar while responding to a question during the press conference at the BJP headquarters. "The position of my government is that in this particular case, there has been certain information provided to us which we are investigating," he added.