Plot to kill Khalistan leader: US court summons NSA Ajit Doval, former RAW chief

WASHINGTON: Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Khalistani separatist, filed a civil lawsuit in a US court against the Indian government, alleging a conspiracy to assassinate him. The court issued a summons for a response within 21 days.

After Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Khalistani separatist, filed a civil lawsuit in US court alleging the Indian government of hatching a conspiracy to assassinate him, the District Court for the Southern District of New York issued a summons to the Indian government, NDTV reported. The summons demands a response from the Indian government within 21 days.

Apart from the Indian government, the lawsuit names India’s foreign intelligence agency personnel and others, including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, former Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) chief Samant Goel, R&AW agent Vikram Yadav, and Indian businessman Nikhil Gupta. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who heads the radical outfit Sikhs for Justice, shared a copy of the summons on his social media platform X (formerly Twitter), which has been withheld.

The centre’s response to the summons is awaited. Mint could not independently confirm the development of the news. Nikhil Gupta, the Indian businessman, who has been accused of orchestrating the murder attempt of the Khalistani separatist, pleaded not guilty in a federal court.

This followed extradition from the Czech Republic, where he was arrested last year. According to court documents, Nikhil Gupta has an intelligence background and is described as a “senior field officer” with code CC- 1.