Official Linked To Alleged Pannun Assassination Plot Is 'No Longer' Indian Government Employee: US

The United States on Wednesday (16 October) confirmed that ‘CC1,’ a former RAW officer identified in the Department of Justice (DOJ) indictment for alleged involvement in a failed assassination plot against Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, no longer works for the Indian government.

Speaking at a press briefing , US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated that a productive meeting had taken place on Tuesday between the high-level Indian inquiry committee and US officials, with both sides exchanging updates on their investigations.

The announcement of the Indian inquiry committee’s visit by US came on Monday as tensions rose between India and Canada, following allegations from Canada of Indian diplomats’ involvement in Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s killing.

The statement was briefly removed from the US State Department website but was later reinstated.

The Indian inquiry team is believed to include a retired IPS officer serving as the Deputy National Security Advisor and another retired IPS officer currently a Special Secretary in the National Security Council Secretariat, Indian Express reported.

The committee’s role is to review the evidence shared by the US government regarding the involvement of Indian national Nikhil Gupta, who reportedly planned to kill Pannun at the behest of an Indian intelligence official.

The US indictment has also suggested a link between the alleged plot targeting Pannun and the killing of Nijjar.

When asked about updates provided by India, Miller said, “They did inform us that the individual named in the Justice Department indictment is no longer an employee of the Indian government".

He further stated that the US was “satisfied” with India’s cooperation.

“It continues to be an ongoing process. We continue to work with them on that, but we do appreciate the cooperation, and we appreciate them updating us on their investigation as we update them on ours,” he said.

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