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The sensational case of the aborted assassination attempt on Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York has raised concerns about India’s relationship with the US. Indian think tankers often underestimate the seriousness of the situation, as they do not understand the robust institution of the Public Prosecutor in the US. Hunter Biden, the US president’s son, could face up to 17 years in prison if convicted of three felony and six misdemeanour charges included in an indictment last Friday.
A US Public Prosecutor’s indictment of a foreign government’s criminal conspiracy on American soil is a serious affair, with the Pannun case involving India. Biden regrets the Indian invitation to be Chief Guest at India’s Republic Day, fearing it could become a toxic issue during the crucial election year.
The public domain regarding the Pannun case is only the tip of an iceberg, and there will be hell to pay once the court hearing begins. If Nikhil Gupta, the 52-year-old suspect with a background in organized crime, accepts a plea bargain, the US is seeking his extradition from Prague. Intercept magazine recently carried an investigative report that quoted verbatim from what it claims to be an actual document. However, the official spokesman gave a knee-jerk reaction that the magazine is known for propagating fake narratives peddled by Pakistani intelligence. Intercept was founded almost a decade ago by the famous American billionaire-philanthropist Pierre Omidyar, who joined Bill Gates and Warren Buffett as a signatory of The Giving Pledge.
The Intercept, a report by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), has been widely circulated, drawing attention from journalists like Glenn Greenwald, Jeremy Scahill, and Dan Froomkin. The report is not sensational, and any differences in opinion between government agencies are not new or unique to India. The report’s focus on India’s alleged “Global Assassination Program” is controversial, as it suggests that Delhi may be following Israeli footfalls. However, the report is based on a lead given by Daniel S Markey at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), who believes that Indian security officials were running and funding these operations. This suggests that the “Indian system” has launched an assassination campaign against diaspora Sikh dissidents, and the Pannun incident is part of this.
However, India’s response to such allegations and insinuations is questionable. Contrary to common myths, ostriches do not bury their heads in the sand when they sense danger or fear, but instead remain still and blend in with the terrain. This seems to be what India is doing, and it is unclear whether this will help counter such unsubstantiated allegations. Eagles, on the other hand, are known for their ferocious predator nature. The Intercept report’s credibility is also questionable, as it is based on a written interview with USIP, which has a reputation of being Track 1.5 diplomacy.
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