Washington: The United States is urging India for prompt accountability and resolution in their investigation into a thwarted plot to murder a Sikh leader on American soil, emphasizing the need for meaningful accountability.

According to Kashmir Media Service, U.S. officials intensified their demands during meetings with an Indian Inquiry Committee in Washington. The committee was reviewing the details of an investigation that revealed an Indian intelligence official had orchestrated an assassination plan against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, as reported by Reuters last year.

A U.S. official, who requested anonymity, conveyed the U.S. government’s expectations for a quick and substantive response from India. “We’ve communicated really clearly that the US government isn’t going to feel fully satisfied until we see that meaningful accountability takes place,” the official stated.

Further details emerged last week when a U.S. court unsealed an indictment against Vikash Yadav, identified as a former operative of India’s Research and Analysis Wing. The indictment alleges that starting in May 2023, Yadav collaborated with others both within India and internationally to orchestrate the assassination of Pannun in New York City. Pannun himself has labeled Yadav as a “mid-tier soldier” tasked by higher-ranking officials in India with this operation.

The ongoing investigation and recent indictment have strained diplomatic relations, also reflecting on broader tensions between India and Canada following the assassination of another Sikh leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in June 2023. Despite the gravity of these allegations, India has yet to present a comprehensive public response since initiating its investigation in November 2023.