India sends team to US to probe Sikh activist murder plot

A team from India is visiting Washington as part of an investigation into an assassination attempt in New York that US prosecutors claim was orchestrated by New Delhi’s agents.   

The US State Department announced the visit on Monday. It noted that the Indian inquiry panel would be visiting Washington DC the following day “as part of their ongoing investigations to discuss the case, including information they have obtained,” and to receive “an update” from the US regarding the case.  

New Delhi formed the high-ranking committee after a US court said in an indictment last November that Indian agents were involved in a foiled assassination attempt against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a New York-based lawyer. Pannun heads Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a group that advocates the secession of Khalistan, a separate state for Sikhs, from India. His organization has been outlawed by New Delhi while Pannun himself has been designated a terrorist by the Indian government.   

The Washington Post last year identified the agent allegedly featuring in the US investigation as Indian intelligence officer Vikram Yadav. According to newspaper, Yadav’s identity and affiliation “provide the most explicit evidence” that the assassination plot had been “directed from within the Indian spy service.” However, New Delhi condemned the report as “speculative and irresponsible.”  

The inquiry panel’s trip to the US coincides with a significant diplomatic escalation between India and Canada. The two countries both announced diplomatic expulsions on Monday, after the Canadian government linked six Indian officials to the assassination of Khalistan movement leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia last year.  

New Delhi has described Canada’s allegations as “preposterous imputations,” suggesting they are part of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s “political agenda” centered on “vote bank politics.” Trudeau has accused the Indian government of making a “fundamental error” by allegedly supporting “violence” on Canadian soil.  

Media reports earlier suggested that the US and Canada have shared intelligence related to both cases, as they are part of the Five Eyes alliance, which also includes the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. The other members of the group expressed their “concerns” regarding the allegations against New Delhi, and urged it to cooperate with Washington and Ottawa. On Monday, Trudeau confirmed that Canada has shared information related to allegations against India with its Five Eyes partners, and the US in particular. “We will continue to work with our allies as we stand up together for the rule of law,” he said.