AT Photo: Gurpatwant Singh Pannun
Guwahati, Nov. 5: Despite having an extradition agreement with the USA, the Government of India has not been able to bring back Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who has been issuing threats to India through video and audio messages from the USA.
Sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) told The Assam Tribune that Pannun, a leader of Sikhs for Justice, has been creating trouble and issuing threats to India for quite some time. He had even hit out openly against political leaders of India and has been launching pro-Khalistan propaganda. The government believes he also had a hand in the farmers' agitation.
Recently, Pannun released a video message warning passengers not to travel by Air India flights from November 1 to 19. He cautioned that Air India flights could be attacked during this period to take revenge against what he called the "40th anniversary of Sikh genocide". This is not the only incident when Pannun issued such threats. When Khalistani leaders were transferred to Dibrugarh jail, Pannun issued a threat against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Way back in July 2020, the Government of India had declared Pannun as a terrorist. Replying to a question as to why Pannun could not be brought back to India to face trial despite having an extradition treaty with the USA, sources said that the US government thinks Pannun is a fighter for nationalism even as India has declared him as a terrorist.
Sources pointed out that being a lawyer himself, Pannun works in the grey areas of the law and it is difficult for India to prove that he is a terrorist. He has not indulged in any act of terrorism himself. Though he warned passengers of Air India flights and said there could be attacks on planes, he never said that his organisation would bomb the planes. Similarly, while targeting Ministers, he is very careful not to cross the line. While warning the Assam Chief Minister, he never said that his organisation would kill Sarma. "Pannun plays safe and he works in the grey areas of the law. That is why, it is very difficult for the Government of India to bring him to face trial," sources added.
- By R Dutta Choudhury
