MAJOR DIPLOMATIC CONFRONTATION WITH U.S. AVERTED AT LAST MINUTE

The US and Canadian agencies have missed that IFS officers do not get involved in any intelligence activity. Their service rules prohibit them from doing so.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

The recent actions taken by the United States and Canada in the Khalistani terrorist facilitator Gurpatwant Singh Pannun case, including the public disclosure of alleged closed-door meetings among top security officials and the issuance of arrest warrants against Indian officials, have raised concern in India's intelligence community. Former senior officers have described these decisions as "foolish" and potentially "detrimental” in the long run.

Sources have also told The Sunday Guardian that a major diplomatic confrontation was averted at the last moment after it emerged that some US officials had planned to arrest a top official who had recently retired from a sensitive post, who they allege was involved in the Pannun case. The said officer was to fly to the US for personal reasons, but was made aware of the intention of these US officials, after which he aborted his travel just hours before boarding the flight.

It is pertinent to mention here that the US media, quoting documents and inputs provided by Washington-based government officials to them, have blamed former Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) chief Samant Goel for this entire assassination plot.

Earlier last week, Canada had named the Indian High Commissioner to Ottawa, Sanjay Verma, and other diplomats as "persons of interest" in the investigation related to the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. In response, India withdrew the high commissioner and other targeted diplomats and officials because the "Trudeau government's actions endangered their safety" in an "atmosphere of extremism and violence." The other officials were posted at the high commission in Ottawa and consulates in Toronto and Vancouver.