US State Department Serves Legal Notice to India in Pannun Civil Lawsuit
· World · The Hindu, News18, LiveMint
The U.S. State Department formally served a diplomatic note to the Government of India on October 9, 2026, in the civil lawsuit filed by Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Pannun over an alleged assassination plot. The note, dated September 30, 2026, was delivered through the Embassy of India in Washington DC, certifying its authenticity via John Ballard, Managing Director of the Directorate of Overseas Citizens Services. On February 16, 2026, Indian citizen Nikhil Gupta pleaded guilty in a New York court to murder, conspiracy, and money laundering charges related to the plot, which investigators say involved a $100,000 payment and collaboration with an Indian government employee linked to R&AW. The Indian government has not yet commented on the case, and the State Department stated it is not taking a position on the lawsuit's merits.
Why it matters
The legal action directly impacts the ongoing criminal case against Nikhil Gupta and raises diplomatic tensions by involving Indian intelligence links, affecting India's legal standing in a high-profile international assassination allegation. The State Department's formal service underscores U.S. adherence to legal processes despite non-intervention in the case's substance.
Read the original report — The Hindu
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