The State Department says an Indian committee looking into a US murder plot intends to travel to Washington

The State Department announced Monday that an Indian government committee looking into Indian involvement in a thwarted assassination attempt against a well-known American activist will meet with U.S. authorities in Washington this week.

The Justice Department claims that an unidentified Indian intelligence official oversaw plans to kill famous Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a dual U.S.-Canada citizen, last year. The United States has been pressuring India to investigate this allegation.

The State Department announced Monday that an Indian Enquiry Committee “is actively investigating the individual” and that India had notified the U.S. that it was investigating “other linkages of the former government employee.” This was an uncommon remark regarding another nation’s investigation.

“The Enquiry Committee will be traveling to Washington, D.C. on October 15th, as part of their ongoing investigations to discuss the case, including information they have obtained, and to receive an update from U.S. authorities regarding the U.S. case that is proceeding,” stated the statement.

A request for comment from India’s embassy in Washington was not immediately answered.

Since declaring in November 2023 that it will formally look into the allegations, India has not made many public statements. At the same time, it has maintained a diplomatic conflict with Canada on the June 2023 assassination of another Sikh leader.

In September, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that his nation’s intelligence service was investigating strong claims that the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was responsible for the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist from Canada who was outspoken in favor of the establishment of a new, independent Sikh state in Northern India known as “Khalistan.”

India has denied any role in either of the two occurrences.

Along with other diplomats and officials Canada designated as “persons of interest” in its inquiry, India withdrew its envoy to Ottawa earlier Monday.