New Delhi: The High Powered Enquiry Committee, set up by the Indian government following a failed plot to assassinate a Sikh separatist in the United States, has called for "swift legal action." This demand was made on Wednesday, in a case that strained relations between India and the US.

The 2023 case significantly tested the ties between Washington and New Delhi, though India's response differed notably from its handling of similar allegations from Canada.

Committee's report and recommendations

The committee, which was formed in 2023, delivered its report to the government, recommending legal action against an individual involved in the plot. The Indian Ministry of Information issued a statement, emphasising that justice "must be completed expeditiously." The committee was tasked with investigating the "activities of some organised criminal groups, terrorist organisations, drug peddlers, etc., who undermined the security interests of both India and the US."

While the report did not specifically mention the alleged assassination attempt, nor did it name the individual involved or their nationality, it is known that two Indians have been indicted by the US Justice Department.

Details of the accused individuals

Nikhil Gupta, one of the accused, pleaded not guilty in June 2024 to his involvement in the assassination plot after his extradition from the Czech Republic to the United States. The second individual, former Indian intelligence officer Vikash Yadav, remains at large and is on the FBI’s "Most Wanted" list. Yadav, 40, faces charges of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and money laundering. Both men are implicated in the alleged plot to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a US and Canadian citizen based in New York.

Pannun, affiliated with the New York-based Sikhs for Justice group, advocates for "Khalistan," a separatist movement that seeks an independent Sikh state carved out of Indian territory.

Contrast with Canada's response

India's reaction to the United States has been notably more restrained compared to its response to Canada, where relations soured after the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023. Ottawa accused India of orchestrating Nijjar’s death, leading to a diplomatic rift marked by the expulsion of diplomats from both nations. Nijjar, 45, was shot outside the Sikh temple he led, after being sought by Indian authorities on charges of terrorism and conspiracy to commit murder—allegations he denied.

With AFP inputs