'Cooperation satisfactory': US State Department reacts over probe in foiled 'assassination' plot of Pannun
PTC News Desk: The United States has expressed satisfaction over India's investigation in alleged foiled assassination plot of the US-based Sikhs for Justice chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and said that the meeting with the Indian Inquiry Committee regarding the plot was "productive" and America was "satisfied" with the cooperation.
US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller expressed approval of India's cooperation in the investigation. He noted that an Indian government official allegedly involved in the assassination plot against Pannun is "no longer an employee of the Indian government." Miller described the recent meeting as productive, stating, "They informed us that the individual named in the Justice Department indictment is no longer with the Indian government. We are pleased with the cooperation, which is an ongoing process. We continue to collaborate with them and appreciate their updates on their investigation, just as we share updates on ours." The US has accused Nikhil Gupta, an associate of the former Indian government employee, of conspiring with others to plan Pannun's assassination in New York City.
In early June, he was extradited from the Czech Republic to the United States for trial, where he pleaded "not guilty." An Indian inquiry committee has traveled to the U.S. to investigate the involvement of an Indian government official in a failed plot to assassinate a U.S. citizen, according to the U.S. Department of State. Pannun, holds citizenship in both the U.S. and Canada. Last November, India established a high-level inquiry committee to address security concerns raised by the U.S. government. The Ministry of External Affairs stated that India takes such matters seriously as they affect national security, and relevant departments are already investigating the issue.
- With inputs from agencies
