In a recent development, the Russian Foreign Ministry has firmly rejected accusations leveled by the United States concerning India’s purported involvement in a thwarted assassination plot targeting Sikh Extremist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Speaking at a press briefing, Maria Zakharova, the ministry’s spokeswoman, reiterated that Washington has yet to produce any concrete evidence implicating Indian citizens in the alleged scheme.
“According to the information we have, Washington has not yet provided any reliable evidence of the involvement of Indian citizens in the preparation of the murder of a certain GS Pannun. Speculation on this topic in the absence of evidence is unacceptable,” Zakharova stated.
She went on to criticize the US for what she perceived as a lack of understanding of India’s national mentality and historical context, accusing Washington of disrespecting India as a sovereign state. Zakharova suggested that such allegations could be seen as reflecting a neocolonial mindset, aiming to interfere in India’s internal affairs, particularly during ongoing parliamentary elections.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, recognized as a terrorist by India, holds both American and Canadian citizenship. Last November, the US Justice Department unveiled an indictment against an Indian national, alleging their involvement in a foiled plot to assassinate Pannun.
In response to media queries, Zakharova reiterated that baseless accusations against India are not uncommon, echoing broader US misconceptions about religious freedoms and historical contexts. She suggested that such allegations may be driven by a desire to destabilize India’s internal political landscape.
Meanwhile, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs has also rebuffed claims made by The Washington Post implicating an official from India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in the assassination plot. Describing the report as speculative and irresponsible, the ministry emphasized that an ongoing investigation by a High-Level Committee is addressing security concerns raised by the US government.
The report in question alleged that the RAW official, identified as Vikram Yadav, directed Indian businessman Nikhil Gupta to orchestrate the assassination outside Pannun’s New York residence. Gupta, currently in custody in the Czech Republic pending extradition to the US, faces charges related to the murder-for-hire plot.
In a separate statement, the US Justice Department claimed that an Indian government employee, referred to as CC-1, recruited Gupta to hire a hitman for the assassination, a scheme thwarted by US authorities. Gupta has been charged with murder-for-hire, carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
In response to these developments, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs expressed concern over linking an individual to an Indian official in a US court case, emphasizing its discordance with government policy.
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