New Delhi, In a parliamentary address today, Union Minister for External Affairs S. Jaishankar stated that India will conduct an inquiry into certain inputs provided by the United States regarding the alleged plot to kill Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on US soil. However, he ruled out “equitable treatment” for the allegations raised by Canada in the case of another Khalistani terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, stating that Canada failed to provide specific evidence or inputs.
Jaishankar emphasized that the decision to investigate was based on inputs shared by the US as part of bilateral security cooperation, adding that an inquiry committee has been constituted due to its impact on national security. In contrast, he noted that Canada did not provide specific evidence, making equitable treatment unwarranted.
The remarks come in the backdrop of an indictment filed in Manhattan against Indian national Nikhil Gupta and an unidentified Indian official in the alleged plot to murder Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Amidst these developments, FBI Director Christopher Wray is scheduled to visit India for discussions on various bilateral cooperation matters, including counter-terrorism.
