India must seek accountability from USA on support to terrorists like Pannun

The Indian government has designated Gurpatwant Singh Pannun as a terrorist

The USA has been supporting the actions of American terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who has been operating from American soil with impunity. Apart from formenting separatism in Punjab, Pannun and gang has been raising funds in certain foreign countries.

In an inter gang warfare for control of funds, there was an attack on this American terrorist Pannun. Immediately his backers in USA administration came out with an Murder-for-hire allegations against Indian national Nikhil Gupta – whom the United States claims conspired with another Indian to kill the American terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

The USA kept turning a blind eye on terrorist Pannun activities, even when he was declared a proclaimed terrorist through a due process of Law in India. However they immediately began pressurizing Czech Republic to extradite Nikhil Gupta to USA. The Czech Republic carried out this blatant illegal extradition of an Indian national.

New Delhi must consider and demand full accountability from Biden Administration for both – illegal extradition of Nikhil Gupta and direct/ indirect support to a declared terrorists like Pannun and his gang. India must also insist on extradition of Pannun an American citizen and return of Nikhil Gupta an Indian citizen.

India needs to actively encourage the USA to establish institutional reforms… necessary to deal with such “ allegations “ from either parties.

Gupta, 53, was arrested by Czech officials in June last year and extradited to the US this month. India needs to take Czech authorities to task. In case Nikhil Gupta had violated any Czech laws then he should have been tried by them or deported to India. Handing over an Indian citizen illegally to USA needs to be challenged. It’s certainly going to affect the bilateral relationship between India and Czech Republic.

The United States, has not only accused Gupta of plotting to kill Pannun trough a hitman but also preposterously has claimed that it was an Indian government official who “motivated “ Nikhil Gupta to hire a ‘hitman’.

This would be “hitman” was later revealed as an undercover American federal agent. !!!! The US has claimed they have material that shows the staffer asked Gupta to plan the killing. In return, the staffer said a criminal case against Nikhil Gupta in Gujarat would be dropped.

Gupta was produced before a New York federal court and entered a ‘not guilty’ plea.

Ahead of the arraignment his lawyer told news agency PTI “this is a complex matter for both our countries” and referred to emergent “details… that may cast USA government allegations in a new light”.

Gupta has not, so far, requested consular access that is the right of any Indian in his position. “We are looking into the matter… to see what can be done (and) are in touch with his family,” India said.

Under current US laws, Gupta faces a maximum jail term of 20 years. In case this happens ten it may escalate things toa New level.

Earlier Gupta had, via his legal representatives, complained of being “unfairly charged”. Also in December, Gupta moved the Indian Supreme Court (a petition was filed by a family member listed only as ‘X’) claiming multiple human rights violations during his time in a Czech prison.

Specifically, Gupta claimed a breach of fundamental rights, including “forced consumption of beef and pork” that he found offensive as a “devout Hindu and vegetarian”. The petition, however, was dismissed with the court stating it had to respect the sovereignty of courts in other nations.

India has designated Pannun a terrorist but outright rejected the American Government’s claim.

In November last year the External Affairs Ministry acknowledged the charges are a “matter of concern”, and stressed the government had launched a high-level probe into the matter. “We have said this (the act of ordering Pannun’s murder) is contrary to government policy,” the ministry said.

The ministry also said the Indian government “takes such inputs seriously, since they impinge on our national security interests as well, and relevant departments are already examining the issue.”

However India needs to actively continue to seek accountability from Biden and his administration.