India confirms the arrest of CC1, an ex-government employee to the US in connection with a US Department of Justice(DOJ) indictment. The DOJ identified CC1 as a serving Indian government official and accused him of plotting an assassination of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a designated terrorist in India and also a citizen of the US, in New York in June 2023. Washington Post identified CC1 as Vikram Yadav.
Following the allegation, a high-level inquiry committee has been set up. India informed the US that CC1 is no longer a government employee of India and is under the scanner of the inquiry committee that is finding his other linkages. The members of the Indian inquiry committee will visit Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to discuss their findings with US officials and gain insights on the ongoing US investigation.
The DOJ indictment states that the alleged plot was foiled. A middleman named Nikhil Gupta, working with CC1 was arrested in Prague last year and was extradited to the US this year. His trial is yet to commence. The assassin hired by Gupta turned out to be a US law enforcement agent. The US held India responsible when the allegation came to light at the end of 2023. India said that although this was not a government policy, an inquiry committee would be set up to address and examine the issue. The committee’s composition was kept a secret from all except the US.
The US official shared that the US is encouraged by the steps taken by the Indian government. He says, “We are encouraged that this person is no longer a government official of India and has been arrested on local charges.” The news about the Indian inquiry committee’s visit to the US and the arrest of CC1 came on the same day when India reduced its diplomatic relationship with Canada by expelling six Canadian diplomats. This coincidental timing raised the question of any trilateral conversation regarding the issue between the US, India, and Canada. The US official said they knew the entire scenario between India and Canada and spoke with them separately.
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