A court in the United States has issued civil summons against India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Samant Goel, the former chief of India's external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). Reacting sharply, the Indian government on Tuesday (November 10) termed the summons "motivated and malicious."
India's Ministry of External Affairs asserted that the legal action, initiated by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a member of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), has no basis and constitutes a "trivial case." Pannun, who is designated as a Khalistani terrorist by India, filed the lawsuit alleging a conspiracy to assassinate him.
Diplomatic Communication and Legal Protocol
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that the US State Department informed India about the case through a diplomatic note. In response, the Indian government has clarified its position."Requests for service of legal documents or summons in India can only be made through India's designated central authority, namely the Ministry of Law and Justice," Jaiswal stated. This remark signals New Delhi's view that the direct summons from the US court may have bypassed established diplomatic and legal protocols.
Background of the Case
The development adds a complex layer to international legal and diplomatic relations. While India has dismissed the case as "trivial" and "malicious," the issuance of summons by a US court has sparked fresh discussions at the legal and diplomatic levels between the two nations.No official response or statement has yet been received from the US court regarding the summons. The Indian government has also not made any formal announcement regarding rejecting the summons or taking specific legal action. However, the spokesperson's remarks make it clear that New Delhi does not take the summons seriously and views it as politically motivated.
