India says probe findings to guide response on alleged plot to assassinate Sikh activist in US

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) — On allegations concerning an assassination plot against a Sikh activist on US soil, India said Thursday that it would guide its future actions on the matter according to the findings of a probe it had launched.

The statement came a day after the US Justice Department announced charges against an Indian national for allegedly participating in a murder-for-hire scheme on US soil orchestrated by an Indian government employee.

"As regards the case against an individual that has been filed in a US court, allegedly linking him to an Indian official, this is a matter of concern. We have said, let me reiterate, that this is also contrary to government policy," Foreign Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi told reporters in New Delhi.

He said the nexus between "organized crime, trafficking, gunrunning and extremists at an international level" was a "serious issue for the law enforcement agencies and organizations to consider and it is for that reason that a high-level inquiry committee has been constituted."

"We will be guided by its results," he said.

On whether the findings would be made public, Bagchi said, "We do not discuss such security matters publicly."

The US Justice Department announced charges Wednesday against Indian national Nikhil Gupta for allegedly participating in a murder-for-hire scheme on US soil, allegedly orchestrated by an Indian government employee.

Gupta, 52, was allegedly involved in the foiled plot to murder an unnamed attorney and political activist of Indian descent who holds US citizenship, the Justice Department said in a statement. Gupta was allegedly included in the plot to kill the activist by an unnamed Indian government agent. Gupta was arrested in the Czech Republic upon the request of the US.

Gupta was recruited by an Indian official "to orchestrate the assassination" in the US, said the statement.

The intended victim was allegedly a vocal Sikh critic of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government and advocates for the secession of the northwestern Indian state of Punjab.

Before the US announced the charges, India said Wednesday that it formed a high-level committee to probe the "inputs" shared by the US pertaining to "the nexus between organized criminals, gun runners, terrorists, and others."

Earlier, reports had emerged that Washington thwarted a conspiracy to assassinate a Sikh separatist leader on US soil.