'No Reliable Evidence': Russia Refutes US Allegations Against India In Pannun Murder Plot

Russia has refuted allegations of the involvement of Indian citizens in a foiled assassination plot against pro-Khalistan radical Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the US has not yet provided any reliable evidence implicating Indian citizens in the case.

“According to the information we have, Washington has not yet provided any reliable evidence of the involvement of Indian citizens in the preparation of the murder of a certain GS Pannun. Speculation on this topic in the absence of evidence is unacceptable,” Maria Zakharova, the official spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry, said at a press briefing on Wednesday when asked about accusations against an Indian official of a foiled “assassination” plot on foreign soil.

Slamming the US further, Zakharova said regular unfounded accusations by the United States against New Delhi of violating religious freedoms are a reflection of the United States’ misunderstanding of the national mentality, the historical context of the development of the Indian state and disrespect for India as a state .

“I am sure that this also comes from the neocolonial mentality, the mentality of the colonial period, the period of the slave trade, and imperialism,” she said.

‘Desire To Complicate…’: Russia Claims US Trying To Interfere In Indian General Election

The spokesperson further claimed that the US is trying to interfere in Indian General Election.

When asked about US interference in Indian elections, she said, “Absolutely. I think that this is a desire to complicate the ongoing general parliamentary elections in India on the part of the United States and is part of a campaign to interfere in India’s internal affairs.”

She further said that the reason is the desire to unbalance the internal political situation in India in order to complicate the general parliamentary elections taking place in the country. “Of course, this is part of interference in India’s internal affairs,” she added.

‘Speculative And Irresponsible’: India’s Rebuttal On WP Report

India’s External Affairs Ministry had earlier dismissed the report by the Washington Post, which alleged Indian spy agency’s involvement in what is thought to be a failed assassination attempt against Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and even named a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) official who it said orchestrated the purported plan.

“The report in question makes unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations on a serious matter,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

“There is an ongoing investigation of the High Level Committee set up by the Government of India to look into the security concerns shared by the US government on networks of organised criminals, terrorists and others. Speculative and irresponsible comments on it are not helpful,” he further added.

What Washington Post Report Says?

A report published by US newspaper Washington Post claimed that an officer of the foreign intelligence agency of India Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) instructed a hired hit team to kill US-based Khalistani separatist Pannun.

The report says that RAW officer Vikram Yadav gave the instructions to the hit team to eliminate the legal counsel of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) who is a prominent leader of the separatist movement. “US intelligence agencies have assessed that the operation targeting Pannun was approved by the RAW chief at the time, Samant Goel,” the report said.

The report also said that Yadav was transferred back to Central Reserve Police Forces (CRPF) following the unravelling of the Pannun plot. The government of India has not responded to these assertions made by the US newspaper. American authorities have indicted Nikhil Gupta for the plot and said that he was acting at the behest of an Indian official who was named as CC-1 in the indictment. Gupta remains in a jail in Czechian capital Prague. He was detained last year by Czechian and American agencies.

The government is looking at the issue and had formed a high-level committee to investigate the matter in November based on the information shared by the US about the role of the Indian official. India at that time said that it had a bearing on India’s security as well. The report by the Washington Post claimed that Vikram Yadav was on deputation from CRPF and had allegedly forwarded details of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, including his address in New York. It also claimed that Yadav “lacked training and skills” needed for the operation that involved going head-to-head against sophisticated US counter-intelligence capabilities, the newspaper further claimed.

However, the Washington Post report paints Pannun and his Khalistani associates as dissidents but fails to note the rising cases of extremism and intimidation against members of the Indian diaspora and even Sikhs and Punjabis who do not align themselves with the Khalistani ideology.

The report fails to acknowledge that Khalistani separatists have for the past few years held rallies and referendums in Canada, Australia and in the US, trying to gather support for their secessionist cause, directly posing a threat to Indian sovereignty. The Western governments have failed to acknowledge that violent Khalistani extremists have used their soil to foment anti-India sentiments.

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