India sends group to US to investigate Sikh activist killing scheme

(MENAFN) A delegation from India is set to travel to Washington, D.C., as part of an investigation into an alleged assassination plot that U.S. prosecutors claim was orchestrated by agents of the Indian government. The U.S. State Department announced the visit on Monday, stating that the Indian inquiry team would arrive the following day to discuss the case, share information gathered thus far, and receive updates from U.S. authorities regarding the ongoing investigation.

This investigation comes in the wake of an indictment issued by a U.S. court last November, which suggested that Indian agents were involved in a foiled assassination attempt against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a New York-based lawyer and the head of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). Pannun's organization advocates for the creation of Khalistan, a separate state for Sikhs, which has led to its prohibition by New Delhi. The Indian government has also designated Pannun as a terrorist.

The Washington Post previously identified an Indian intelligence officer, Vikram Yadav, as being allegedly connected to the assassination plot. The newspaper reported that Yadav’s identity and role provide substantial evidence suggesting that the plot was directed from within the Indian intelligence apparatus. In response to these claims, New Delhi condemned the report as "speculative and irresponsible."

The timing of the inquiry panel's visit to the U.S. coincides with heightened diplomatic tensions between India and Canada. Both countries announced the expulsion of diplomats on the same day, following Canada's assertion that six Indian officials were linked to the assassination of Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed in British Columbia last year.

As this situation unfolds, the Indian team's engagement with U.S. authorities will be closely watched, not only for its implications for bilateral relations but also for its potential impact on the broader geopolitical landscape concerning issues of sovereignty, terrorism, and diaspora politics. The ongoing investigations and diplomatic tensions illustrate the complexities of international relations in a context where allegations of extraterritorial actions by governments are increasingly scrutinized.

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