"Completely Unwarranted": India on US Court Summons Over Khalistani Terrorist

New Delhi, India - April 22, 2023

India has strongly condemned the US court summons issued to its diplomat in connection with a case related to a Khalistani terrorist.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has termed the summons as "completely unwarranted" and said that it will not accept such "intimidation tactics".

The summons was issued by a US court in connection with a case related to Khalistani terrorist Harminder Singh Mintoo, who is accused of killing two Punjab Police officers in 2017.

India has maintained that Mintoo is a terrorist and has provided evidence of his involvement in the killings. However, the US has refused to extradite Mintoo to India.

The MEA said that the US court summons is an attempt to "pressurize" India into accepting Mintoo's extradition. It said that India will not be "pressured" into doing anything that is against its interests.

The summoning of Indian diplomat has strained relations between the two countries. India has summoned the US Ambassador to India to lodge a protest over the summons.

The US has said that it respects India's sovereignty and that the summons was issued in accordance with its laws.

However, India has said that the summons is a violation of international law and that it will not cooperate with the US in this case.

Background:

Khalistan is a separatist movement that seeks to create an independent Sikh state in Punjab, India. The movement has been active since the 1980s and has been responsible for numerous acts of violence.

Harminder Singh Mintoo is a Khalistani terrorist who is accused of killing two Punjab Police officers in 2017. He is currently living in the US.

India has requested the US to extradite Mintoo to India to face trial. However, the US has refused to do so.

Implications:

The summoning of Indian diplomat has strained relations between the two countries. It is unclear what impact this will have on the overall relationship between India and the US.

The case is also likely to have a significant impact on India's efforts to combat terrorism. India has been working closely with the US to combat terrorism, and the summoning of Indian diplomat could jeopardize this cooperation.