India pushes ‘legal action’ after US murder plot

NEW DELHI: An Indian committee established after a foiled plot to kill a Sikh separatist in the United States, a case that dented ties between the allies, has demanded swift “legal action”, New Delhi said on Wednesday.

The 2023 case severely tested relations between Washington and New Delhi, although India´s response represented a sharp contrast to its defiant approach to similar charges from Canada.

“The committee has submitted its report to the government, and recommended legal action against an individual,” India´s information ministry said in a statement, saying justice “must be completed expeditiously”.

The committee was established in 2023 to investigate “activities of some organised criminal groups, terrorist organisations, drug peddlers, etc., who undermined the security interests of both India and the US”, the statement read.

It did not specifically reference the alleged murder plot, nor did the statement name the individual, or even state their nationality. However, the US Justice Department has indicted two Indians for their role in the alleged plot.

Nikhil Gupta pleaded not guilty in June 2024 to involvement in the assassination plot after being extradited to the United States from the Czech Republic.