Indian man charged with plot to kill Sikh separatists on U.S. soil
The Justice Department introduced Wednesday that an Indian nationwide has been charged with plotting to assassinate a Sikh separatist chief on U.S. soil, and that Indian authorities officers have been additionally concerned within the plot.
The Justice Department stated in an announcement that it has dismissed homicide prices towards Nikhil Gupta, 52, of Indian descent in New York City “in connection with his participation in a failed plot to assassinate a U.S. citizen.”
The alleged goal was “a vocal critic of the Indian government and heads a U.S.-based organization that advocates for the secession of Punjab, India’s predominantly Sikh state.”
The U.S. authorities stated Indian authorities officers led the plan from India and labored with Mr. Gupta and others based mostly around the globe.
Mr. Gupta, who lives in India, was arrested by Czech authorities pursuant to a US extradition order.
The information comes after the White House introduced final week that it was treating makes an attempt to assassinate Sikh separatists on U.S. soil “extremely seriously” and had raised the problem with the Indian authorities.
On the identical day, the Financial Times reported that US authorities had foiled a plot to kill Gurpatwant Singh Panun, a US-Canadian nationwide.
“The attempt on my life on American soil is a challenge to American sovereignty and a threat to free speech and democracy,” Panun stated in an announcement after Wednesday’s report. It’s a blatant incident.”
The Justice Department on Wednesday didn’t establish the goal of the alleged assassination try, however introduced that Mr. Gupta was recruited within the May 2023 assassination plot.
– “Concerns” –
Canada and India engaged in main diplomatic negotiations in September after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau linked New Delhi to the June homicide of fellow Sikh separatist Canadian nationwide Hardeep Singh Nijjar. brought on an issue.
New Delhi criticized the Canadians’ claims as “ridiculous”.
But Prime Minister Trudeau stated Wednesday that “the news coming out of the United States further emphasizes what we’ve been talking about from the beginning: India needs to take this issue seriously.”
“The Indian government needs to work with us to ensure we get to the bottom of this,” he stated.
“By first assassinating Nijjar in Canada and then attempting to assassinate me on U.S. soil, India under Prime Minister Modi (Narendra) has violently thwarted the Sikh movement for self-determination,” Panun stated. “We have expanded our suppression policy to other countries as well.”
The U.S. Department of Justice stated that after Nijjar’s killing, Mr. Gupta instructed an undercover US official that there was “no need to wait now” for focused killings in New York City.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagki instructed reporters on Thursday that the matter was below investigation.
“This is a concern when it comes to lawsuits brought against individuals in U.S. courts for allegedly having ties to Indian officials,” Bagchi stated.
“We have said this before, but again, this is also contrary to government policy.”
India beforehand stated the US “shared some information regarding connections between organized criminals, gun traffickers, terrorists, etc.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated a “high-level” fee of inquiry had been arrange on November 18 to “investigate all relevant aspects of the matter”.
Source: guardian.ng