India is looking at potential institutional reforms that might be necessary in the wake of the alleged plot to assassinate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in America, United States Deputy Secretary of State Kurt M Campbell said on Wednesday.

In November, the US Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York filed “murder-for-hire charges” against Indian national Nikhil Gupta in connection with his alleged participation in a thwarted plot to assassinate Pannun. The US government had alleged that Gupta was recruited allegedly by an Indian government employee.

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While India denied its involvement in the case, it had set up a high-level investigation into the allegations in November.

On Wednesday, Campbell’s comments came while responding to questions during an online press briefing after his India visit with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. He said that Washington DC has had constructive dialogue with New Delhi on the topic.

“We also believe that Indian colleagues are looking carefully at what potential institutional reforms might be necessary in the wake of some of these allegations and reports that you’ve described,” he said in response to a question.

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He added that the US is seeking accountability from the Indian government.

“We have consistently asked for updates on the Indian committee of inquiry’s investigations,” he said. “And I would just simply say that we raised this issue directly with Indian governments at the – with the Indian Government at the most senior levels between our two countries.”

On June 14 this year, Gupta was extradited from the Czech Republic to the US. The Czech authorities had arrested Gupta in June 2023 at the request of the United States when he travelled from India to Prague. On June 17, he pleaded not guilty at a Manhattan Federal Court in New York.

The US prosecutors have alleged that Gupta paid $100,000 in cash to a hitman to assassinate Pannun. The hitman turned out to be an undercover United States federal agent.