India looking into US report on alleged ‘nexus between organised criminals, terrorists, and others’: MEA

Indian External Affairs Ministry on Wednesday said that it was looking into US reports on the alleged “nexus between organised criminals, gun runners, terrorists and others”.

Responding to media queries on US-India security cooperation, MEA Official Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that India takes US inputs “seriously”.

As per a press release on the MEA website, Bagchi reiterated that during bilateral security cooperation discussions, “the US side shared some inputs pertaining to the nexus between organised criminals, gun runners, terrorists and others.”

He said that India takes such inputs seriously as they “impinge on our national security interests as well”.

As per Bagchi, relevant departments were examining the issue and, the Government of India has constituted a high-level Enquiry Committee “to look into all the relevant aspects of the matter.” He also stated the GOI will take follow-up actions based on the findings of the Enquiry Committee.

Previously, the US shared with India intel on the alleged scheme to kill Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. 

The claims follow a Financial Times report that the US had thwarted an assassination attempt on the Sikh separatist leader. Reportedly, the nation also issued a “diplomatic warning” over concerns of the Indian government’s involvement in the plot.

Citing people familiar with the case, the British daily also reported that US federal prosecutors had filed a sealed indictment against at least one alleged perpetrator of the plot in a New York district court.

As per the report, the US was debating whether to unseal the contents of the indictment or wait till Canada wraps up its investigation into the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, another Sikh separatist leader on Canadian soil earlier this year.

(With inputs from agencies)