India deems US Court summons over Khalistani terrorist as “completely unwarranted”

Pro-Khalistani leader Gurpatwant Pannun sues Indian govt, NSA Ajit Doval over ‘foiled assassination plot’

The Indian government has expressed strong disapproval of a US court’s summons related to a civil lawsuit filed by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Khalistani separatist.

The summons, issued by the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleges that the Indian government was involved in a plot to murder Pannun.

During a news briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri labeled the court’s action as “completely unwarranted.” He noted that the summons names several Indian officials, including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and former R&AW chief Samant Goel, and requires a response within 21 days.

Misri emphasized that Pannun’s background is well-known, stating, “I invite your attention to the person who filed this. His antecedents are clear; he is associated with an unlawful organization.” Pannun leads the radical group Sikhs for Justice, which has been designated as a terrorist organization by New Delhi since 2020 due to its incitement of violence against Indian leaders and institutions.

Pannun shared a copy of the summons on his social media account, X (formerly Twitter), though the platform has since withheld it.

In November, the Financial Times reported that US officials had thwarted a plot to assassinate Pannun, who holds dual citizenship in the US and Canada. The Biden administration later confirmed this information.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has reiterated that it is a “matter of concern” and that India has initiated a high-level investigation into the allegations. Arindam Bagchi, then spokesperson for the MEA, stated that the case linking Pannun to Indian officials contradicts government policy.

In May, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar addressed the issue, affirming that it would not hinder the positive trajectory of India-US relations. “We are investigating it, but I do not think the fundamental course of the upward trajectory of India-US is impacted by this at all,” he said.

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