Govt panel recommends action against unnamed individual for undermining security interests of India, US

New Delhi: A high-powered enquiry committee set up by the government has recommended legal action against an unnamed individual after probing activities of some organised criminal groups and terrorist organisations, which undermined the security interests of both India and the US.

The probe was ordered after the US alleged there was an attempt to kill Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun by Indian agents in New York in 2023.

Vikash Yadav, said to be a former officer of India's external intelligence agency RAW, was named by the US in connection with the failed assassination attempt on Pannun, who has duel citizenship of America and Canada.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said after a long enquiry, the committee has recommended legal action against an individual, whose earlier criminal links and antecedents also came to notice during the enquiry.

The home ministry statement, however, did not name any individual against whom action has been initiated.

The MHA said on receipt of information provided by US authorities regarding activities of some organised criminal groups, terrorist organisations, drug peddlers, etc., who undermined the security interests of both India and the US, a high-powered enquiry committee was set up by the government of India in November 2023.

The committee conducted its own investigations, and also pursued leads provided by the US side and it received full cooperation from US authorities and the two sides also exchanged visits.

It further examined a number of officials from different agencies and also scrutinised relevant documents in this connection.

"After a long enquiry, the Committee has submitted its report to the Government and recommended legal action against an individual, whose earlier criminal links and antecedents also came to notice during the enquiry," the statement said.

The committee has recommended that the legal action must be completed expeditiously.

"The Committee has further recommended functional improvements in systems and procedures as also initiation of steps that could strengthen India's response capability, ensure systematic controls and coordinated action in dealing with matters like this," the statement said.

While announcing the constitution of the high-powered committee in November 2023, the External Affairs Ministry had said it will look into all relevant aspects of the matter (security concerns raised by the US).

Earlier, the US said it had stopped a plot to kill a Sikh separatist and warned India about concerns about New Delhi's involvement.

The US said it was treating the plot with utmost seriousness and raised the issue with the Indian government "at the senior-most levels".

White House spokesperson Adrienne Watson had said Indian officials expressed "surprise and concern" when they were informed about the incident.

"We are treating this issue with utmost seriousness, and it has been raised by the US government with the Indian government, including at the senior-most levels," Watson said, adding they (India) stated that activity of this nature was not their policy.

In December 2023, Yadav was arrested by Delhi Police in a case of kidnapping and extortion lodged against him. He is currently on bail in this case.

In the case related to the attempt to kill Pannun, Indian national Nikhil Gupta was arrested in Prague in 2023 and later extradited to the US from the Czech Republic.

Gupta was arrested at the request of the US government on charges of being involved in a plot to kill Pannun.

Canada had also claimed the presence of "credible" accusations connecting Indian operatives to the June killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in a Vancouver suburb.

India has denied all these claims.