PM Modi responds to US allegations of Indian link in Pannun killing plot

For the first time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded to the claims made by the US of an Indian link to an alleged foiled assassination plot against India designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, and stated he will "look into" any evidence, adding that "few incidents" would not affect US-India ties.

Recently, PM Modi said, “If someone gives us any information, we would definitely look into it." 
"If a citizen of ours has done anything good or bad, we are ready to look into it. Our commitment is to the rule of law," the Prime Minister said.

 
Notably, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who was declared a 'designated individual terrorist' by the Government of India on July 1, 2020, has been actively exhorting Punjab-based gangsters and youth over social media to fight for the cause of the independent state of Khalistan, challenging the sovereignty, integrity and security of the country, NIA investigations have shown.

Pannun has been under the NIA lens since 2019 when the anti-terror agency registered its first case against him.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi also raised concerns over extremist activities, and said, India was "deeply concerned about the activities of certain extremist groups based overseas," adding "These elements, under the guise of freedom of expression, have engaged in intimidation and incited violence.”

"I don't think it is appropriate to link a few incidents with diplomatic relations between the two countries," PM Modi added.
 
Recently in May, PM Modi visited the US at the invitation of President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden for the state visit. Following which, Biden came to India in September to attend the G20 Summit that took place here in New Delhi under India's Presidency.
 
Significantly, the US Justice Department had claimed that an Indian government employee, who was not identified in the indictment filed in a federal court in Manhattan, recruited a fellow Indian identified as Nikhil Gupta to hire a hitman to allegedly assassinate Pannun, who is a dual-citizen of the US and Canada.

Meanwhile, Pannun, had recently threatened to attack India's Parliament.
 

- With inputs from agencies 

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