The US on Thursday said it was satisfied with India's cooperation in investigating the plot to kill Khalistan leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannu. US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Indian officials are giving us updates on their investigation and we are giving them updates on ours. The Indian team is in Washington to investigate the Pannu case.
Miller also said in a press briefing on Thursday that the person accused in the US of plotting Pannu's murder is no longer an Indian government employee. In fact, the US had earlier alleged that Nikhil Gupta, the accused who hatched the conspiracy to kill Pannu, was an associate of an Indian government employee. Together, they helped plan Pannu's murder in New York.
On October 14, the US said that India had arrested an intelligence officer accused of trying to kill Pannu. The official's name was mentioned in the Washington Post as Vikram Yadav.
The Government of India declared Pannu a terrorist under the UAPA on 1 July 2020. Pannu holds Canadian and American citizenships.
Pannu's murder conspiracy case
Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, was arrested by the Czech Republic police on June 30, 2023 for conspiring to kill Pannu. After this, Nikhil was extradited to America on 14 June 2024. Nikhil was tried in America where he pleaded innocent.
83 lakh rupees were paid to kill Pannu
However, according to American agencies, the plan to kill Pannu was made during PM Modi's visit to America in September last year. According to the chargesheet, a former Indian officer asked Nikhil Gupta to plan Pannu's murder. Nikhil made a deal with a person to pay 83 lakh rupees in exchange for work.
After this, in April this year American media Washington Post in its report claimed that RAW was behind the conspiracy to kill Pannu. According to the report, the entire planning of Pannu's murder was done by senior RAW officer Vikram Yadav. He hired a hit team.
Yadav sent information about Pannu to Indian agent Nikhil Gupta, revealing that he was in New York. Nikhil Gupta then contacts an agent to kill Pannu. However, Nikhil Gupta was arrested before the planning could succeed.
News agency Reuters published this sketch of Nikhil's courtroom.
When, what happened in Pannu case, complete timeline as per charge sheet…
- May 2023: According to the US prosecutor, an Indian official (Vikram Yadav) hired Nikhil Gupta.
- 29 May: Nikhil Gupta starts searching for the person who can kill Pannu. However, the person hired to kill Pannu turns out to be an American undercover agent. For a few weeks, Nikhil Gupta discussed with this undercover agent the method and cost of Pannu's murder.
- June 9: Gupta sent 15 thousand dollars (Rs 12 lakh 49 thousand) cash through a person to the hitman hired to kill Pannu. This was an advance payment for the murder.
- June 11: Indian officials told Gupta that Pannu's murder could not be done yet. In fact, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited America in June. Gupta had also said on the phone that if nothing could be done for 10 days, demonstrations would start.
- June 12 to June 14: Gupta told his partner over the phone about a big target in Canada. He said he would share his details later.
- June 18: Some people killed terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. A few months later Canada accused India of the murder.
- June 19: Gupta sent the video of Nijjar's killing to the hitman hired to kill Pannu in America. He wrote – This is good news, no need to wait now.
- June 24 to June 29: The Guptas go ahead with the plan to kill Pannu. Started monitoring Pannu.
- June 30: Gupta was detained in the Czech Republic at the behest of the US.
Pannu is an American and Canadian citizen. He organizes demonstrations in support of Khalistan from Canada and provides financial support to Khalistan supporters in India. FILE PHOTO- People protesting against India in Canada.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
