The U.S. State Department formally served notice on the Government of India through a diplomatic note regarding Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Pannun’s civil lawsuit over an alleged assassination plot.
According to the U.S. State Department, the agency was legally obliged to deliver the documents and is not taking a position on the case. The diplomatic note was signed on September 30, 2026, and delivered to the Embassy of India in Washington on October 9, 2026, under cover of a note dated October 20, 2026.
John Ballard, Managing Director of the Directorate of Overseas Citizens Services in Washington, certified that the papers are true copies of the Department of State transmission.
The civil lawsuit was filed by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal counsel for Sikhs for Justice, following revelations of an alleged plot involving Indian national Nikhil Gupta to kill him.
Pannun’s lawsuit names several Indian officials, including National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and former Research and Analysis Wing chief Samant Goel. The Ministry of Home Affairs designated Pannun as a terrorist in 2020 and declared Sikhs for Justice an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act in 2019.
Did You Know? Nikhil Gupta pleaded guilty on February 16, 2026, in a New York court to charges of murder, conspiracy, and money laundering to assassinate Pannun.
Investigators in the United States stated that Gupta, an Indian businessman, worked with an Indian government employee, Vikash Yadav, to hire a hitman for $100,000. Yadav was arrested in Delhi in December 2023 in a separate kidnapping and extortion case and has been out on bail since April 2024.
Diplomatic challenges following assassination allegations
The U.S. State Department underlined that transmitting the diplomatic note is a procedural step that does not indicate a position on the ongoing civil case.
The alleged plot against Pannun and the 2023 assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada created multiple diplomatic challenges for the Indian government. India has consistently rejected any links between its officials and the alleged plots, setting up an inquiry committee in 2023 to examine evidence shared by American investigators.
India dismissed Pannun’s civil lawsuit as unwarranted and unsubstantiated, while the Department of Justice pursued a criminal investigation into Nikhil Gupta after his arrest in the Czech Republic in 2023 and subsequent extradition to the United States. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency released information alleging direct links between Yadav and Gupta in the murder plot, and the U.S. Justice Department charged Yadav in October 2024.
Expert Insight: The U.S. State Department has said that transmitting the diplomatic note is a procedural step and does not indicate a position on the civil case. The alleged plot against Pannun and the 2023 assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada created multiple diplomatic challenges for India, while the United States has maintained a law enforcement approach to the investigation.
Breaking | Pannun Murder-for-Hire Lawsuit U. S. State Department Serves Federal Court Summons on the Government of India Through Diplomatic Channels “Now, Discovery in U. S. Court Will Uncover Evidence of the Modi Regime’s Role in the Assassination of Shaheed Nijjar” — Pannun… pic.twitter.com/q4XEBo5Jwj
Court sets deadline to serve Doval and Goel
A federal court in New York set a deadline of November 30, 2026, for the plaintiff’s motion to serve Doval and Goel through Indian courts. U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla signed the order on November 9, 2026, accepting Pannun’s argument under Article 19 of the Hague Service Convention after an earlier attempt through India’s designated Central Authority under Article 5 was rejected.
“Plaintiff's motion to serve Doval and Goel through the aforementioned Indian courts is GRANTED,” US District Judge Katherine Polk Failla wrote.
If the papers are successfully served through Indian courts in Delhi, the named officials will face a choice between answering the New York lawsuit or risking a default judgment for damages. If they choose to answer, defendants and the Indian government could argue sovereign immunity regarding acts carried out in an official capacity, a question the New York court has yet to resolve.
Frequently Asked Questions
What charges did Nikhil Gupta plead guilty to in New York?
Indian citizen Nikhil Gupta pleaded guilty in a New York court to charges of murder, conspiracy, and money laundering related to an alleged plot to assassinate Pannun.
Who are the defendants named in Gurpatwant Pannun’s civil lawsuit?
The lawsuit names the Government of India, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, former RAW chief Samant Goel, former RAW officer Vikash Yadav, and Indian businessman Nikhil Gupta.
What is the status of Vikash Yadav following his arrest?
Vikash Yadav was arrested in Delhi in December 2023 in a separate kidnapping and extortion case and has been out on bail since April 2024, according to investigators.
How might the Indian government respond if the New York civil lawsuit proceeds past the procedural service stage?
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