New Delhi, In a significant development, an operative of India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) has been dismissed from his role following an inquiry into an alleged plot to assassinate Sikh leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York City.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the dismissal and subsequent reshuffling of several other operatives come in the wake of accusations by US federal prosecutors in November 2023, who claimed that Indian citizen Nikhil Gupta had conspired to murder Pannun under instructions from an Indian government official. Gupta is presently detained in the Czech Republic, contesting an extradition verdict to the United States.

Bloomberg, quoting anonymous senior officials, revealed that an internal investigation by the Indian government determined the involvement of “rogue operatives” in the plot, operating without official sanction from the Indian government. This investigation was part of a broader examination initiated by India last year, based on information supplied by the United States.

The operative expelled from RAW was described as a mid-level official, originally from a paramilitary force, as per the Bloomberg report. The reshuffling of several other operatives by the agency was reportedly influenced by the ongoing investigation.

The implicated operative, referred to as “CC-1” in the US indictment against Gupta, was identified as a “senior field officer” involved in directing the assassination plot from India. Despite the gravity of the allegations and the operative’s removal from RAW, he remains a government employee, with no criminal proceedings initiated against him. The Indian government has reportedly communicated the outcomes of its internal investigation to US authorities.

This case follows a diplomatic controversy ignited by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who alleged a potential link between Indian government agents and the murder of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, Canada, in June 2023.