WASHINGTON (Dunya News) - A US court has issued a formal notice to the Indian government and several senior officials over an alleged plot to assassinate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, directing them to submit a response by December 8.
The notices have reportedly been issued to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, former Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief Samant Goel, Vikram Yadav, and Nikhil Gupta in connection with the alleged assassination conspiracy.
According to the report, court summons were delivered to the Indian Embassy in Washington on October 9. The court has warned that failure to respond within the specified timeframe could result in a default judgment in favor of the plaintiff.
The case concerns allegations that Indian officials were involved in a conspiracy to target Pannun, a Sikh activist based in the United States.
According to the prosecution, Indian national Nikhil Gupta was allegedly recruited by Vikas Yadav, identified as an Indian official, to arrange Pannun's assassination. Prosecutors further allege that Yadav authorized a payment of $100,000 to carry out the operation.
Gupta was arrested in connection with the alleged conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 20.
The legal proceedings represent another significant development in the case, which has raised diplomatic and legal concerns surrounding alleged foreign involvement in assassination plots on US soil.
The Indian government and the officials named in the notices have been given an opportunity to respond to the allegations through the US court proceedings. The allegations remain subject to judicial determination.