Plot to kill Pannun: FBI chief to visit India next week

FBI Director Christopher Wray will visit India next week against the backdrop of Washington's allegations about an Indian link to a foiled plot to kill a Sikh separatist on American soil.

US ambassador to India Eric Garcetti referred to Wray's upcoming visit at an event on Wednesday while talking about strength of US-India relationship and frequency of visits to New Delhi by top Biden administration officials.

"This was the Number 1 country she (US Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen) went to outside of the United States -- four times this year. The secretary of state (Antony Blinken) just came here for the third time. Secretary of Defence (Lloyd Austin) for the second time. The FBI director is here next week," he said.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, when asked about Wray's planned trip to India, said the visit is in the works as part of the overall bilateral cooperation in areas of cyber-security, counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics.

"As you're aware, we have robust security, cyber-security, counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics cooperation with the US agencies. We are also engaged in capacity-building programmes. So as part of this ongoing bilateral cooperation, a visit By the FBI director is in the works," he said.

"Let them (the US side) confirm the exact details," Bagchi added.

It is expected that Wray will hold talks with senior Indian security officials.

The Washington Post last week reported that the Biden administration was so concerned after discovering the plot to kill Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun that it sent CIA Director William J Burns and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines to India in August and October respectively to demand investigation and hold those responsible to account.

US Principal Deputy NSA Jonathan Finer visited India this week during which he held talks with External Affairs Minister Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra and Deputy NSA Vikran Misri.

Following the visit, the White House said Finer conveyed to New Delhi the importance of holding accountable anyone found responsible in the probe that India announced to investigate the alleged Indian link to the "lethal plotting".

Last week, India described as a "matter of concern" the US linking an Indian official to a man charged with conspiring to kill Pannun.

It said follow-up action will be taken based on findings of an inquiry panel investigating the allegations.

India has already constituted a probe team to investigate the allegations.

The US federal prosecutors charged Nikhil Gupta, 52, of working with an Indian government employee in the conspiracy to kill Pannun.