In an exclusive interview to TOI, the US ambassador says there’s too much at stake for both countries to not get this issue right. He also says that while the US is satisfied with the progress in the Indian probe so far, Washington will be satisfied ultimately only if accountability is ensured.
Days after US authorities announced charges against a former Indian government official, Vikash Yadav , for his alleged involvement in a murder-for-hire plot, US ambassador to India Eric Garcetti told TOI in an exclusive interaction while American authorities are satisfied with progress in India’s probe into the case, Washington will be satisfied ultimately only if accountability is achieved. He said the US wants the guilty to be held accountable and not just an assurance that the crime won’t be repeated in the future.
Garcetti said there’s no way the US can compromise on criminal activity, whether it comes from an enemy or a close friend. He didn’t comment on whether the US would pursue Yadav’s extradition, as he said extradition can take place only after he is arrested. The ambassador also said there’s too much at stake for India and the US to not get this case right. Asked about the impunity enjoyed by Khalistan separatists in Canada, and the threats issued by them from the US soil, Garcetti said the US takes real threats seriously and cited strong counterterrorism cooperation with India, giving the example of the Tahawwur Rana , the Mumbai attacks accused against whom, he said, India and the US have built up an “airtight” extradition case.
“We have said 2 things from the beginning. This sort of behaviour is unacceptable from any country to another country. Certainly, unacceptable to us as Americans. That’s a red line, coming from an enemy or a closest friend. That’s our first responsibility, no matter who they are or what they say, to draw a line that murder-for-hire is illegal, as it is in every country,” said Garcetti.
“Second, we desire accountability. Not just say it won’t happen in the future but that those who were involved will be held accountable. That’s what our prosecutors are focused on. Our prosecutors are 100 percent not political. They exist in a different universe,” he added.
While expressing satisfaction with the work done so far by the Indian commission of inquiry, the ambassador said the US expects India would have criminal accountability for anyone who would break the law. “We are very satisfied that a commission of inquiry was set up. The commission is going through a formal process, as we do on dozens of cases at any point in time. Every single day, the United States and India formally ask for evidence, do joint investigations, make arrests, extraditions. We expect the same here,’’ said Garcetti.
On the Indian probe committee’s recent visit to the US, the ambassador said that in Washington, there were good, deep discussions, sharing of information. “We got good feedback from the Indian committee. Our law enforcement authorities were happy to share. But ultimately, I think, people in Washington will only be satisfied when accountability is achieved. Our prosecutors have put forward evidence that merits criminal charges and that evidence can and will be shared in a proper way with the Indian investigation and I’d expect that the Indian system, just like the American system, knows that murder-for-hire plots are illegal and will hold people accountable,” said the ambassador.
Garcetti didn’t predict if US authorities would seek Yadav’s extradition, but when asked if the US expects India to arrest him, Garcetti reiterated that American authorities expect accountability. “And that can happen probably in more than one way. Without accountability, justice won’t be served. I can’t speak about this individual’s criminal activities here in India but the prosecutors in the US clearly believe he was involved in a criminal conspiracy in America,” he said.
Asked about whether this issue might adversely impact the India-US relationship, given the speculation here that American authorities might be acting in tandem with the Canadians, the ambassador said, “that there’s too much at stake in our relationship for us not to get this right”.
“There’s no way we can compromise criminal activity and the fundamental values that murder-for-hire is illegal and that crossing borders for international murder plots is against the law. Any country’s first responsibility is defending its people’s rights, whether it’s freedom of speech or the right not to get killed. But there’s too much at stake to not get this right. I’m optimistic that we can get this right. We are collaborating, even the most difficult conversations are happening. I am confident India and America can get it right but it won’t be simple,’’ he said.
When asked about India’s concerns over the impunity enjoyed by Khalistan separatists in Canada, or that Pannun could issue threats to India from the US soil, and how the US could held India address some of these issues, the ambassador cited close counter terrorism cooperation between the 2 countries, and cited the example of how they had dealt with the case involving Mumbai attacks accused Tahawwur Rana.
“I’m very proud of the work we are doing together in counterterrorism. We always tell our Indian friends to focus on crimes. And when we focus on crimes, as opposed to opinions, we are able to see progress. When an Indian consulate is attacked, we launch a criminal investigation. We take the safety and security of Indian diplomats very seriously. We take terrorist acts, not words but acts, incredibly seriously. And threats on people’s lives is a crime in the US. Nobody is protected in the US against those sorts of criminal acts. For instance, in the Tahawwur Rana case, we have done everything the right way. We have worked closely together and that can result in a victory against terrorism for both India and the US as friends. We will continue to take real threats seriously,’’ said Garcetti.
On whether Rana could be extradited soon, he said there’s only one step left which is appeal to the Supreme Court . “I’ll leave it to the legal experts, but everybody says this is airtight, done correctly and it would be very surprising if he were to make one more appeal. And by the way that appeal doesn’t guarantee anything. Every court has so far upheld the work that India and the US are doing together on this extradition,” he said.
On charges against Yadav, Garcetti also said that in the American system, a politician or even the White House doesn’t pick up the phone and tell the prosecutor to bring charges or not. “That’s an independent decision based on the prosecutors’ belief in the evidence,” he said.
Asked about India’s latest diplomatic spat with Canada over the “expulsion” of the Indian high commissioner, Garcetti described both as close friends and partners of the United States and expressed hope they can reach an understanding. “It’s something really between India and Canada. I’d hope there can be an understanding. Justice is justice. That should be clear. I think these are countries that cooperate on issues of criminal justice all the time and I’d hope that can be achieved even in difficult moments,’’ he said.
Days after US authorities announced charges against a former Indian government official, Vikash Yadav , for his alleged involvement in a murder-for-hire plot, US ambassador to India Eric Garcetti told TOI in an exclusive interaction while American authorities are satisfied with progress in India’s probe into the case, Washington will be satisfied ultimately only if accountability is achieved. He said the US wants the guilty to be held accountable and not just an assurance that the crime won’t be repeated in the future.
Garcetti said there’s no way the US can compromise on criminal activity, whether it comes from an enemy or a close friend. He didn’t comment on whether the US would pursue Yadav’s extradition, as he said extradition can take place only after he is arrested. The ambassador also said there’s too much at stake for India and the US to not get this case right. Asked about the impunity enjoyed by Khalistan separatists in Canada, and the threats issued by them from the US soil, Garcetti said the US takes real threats seriously and cited strong counterterrorism cooperation with India, giving the example of the Tahawwur Rana , the Mumbai attacks accused against whom, he said, India and the US have built up an “airtight” extradition case.
“We have said 2 things from the beginning. This sort of behaviour is unacceptable from any country to another country. Certainly, unacceptable to us as Americans. That’s a red line, coming from an enemy or a closest friend. That’s our first responsibility, no matter who they are or what they say, to draw a line that murder-for-hire is illegal, as it is in every country,” said Garcetti.
“Second, we desire accountability. Not just say it won’t happen in the future but that those who were involved will be held accountable. That’s what our prosecutors are focused on. Our prosecutors are 100 percent not political. They exist in a different universe,” he added.
While expressing satisfaction with the work done so far by the Indian commission of inquiry, the ambassador said the US expects India would have criminal accountability for anyone who would break the law. “We are very satisfied that a commission of inquiry was set up. The commission is going through a formal process, as we do on dozens of cases at any point in time. Every single day, the United States and India formally ask for evidence, do joint investigations, make arrests, extraditions. We expect the same here,’’ said Garcetti.
On the Indian probe committee’s recent visit to the US, the ambassador said that in Washington, there were good, deep discussions, sharing of information. “We got good feedback from the Indian committee. Our law enforcement authorities were happy to share. But ultimately, I think, people in Washington will only be satisfied when accountability is achieved. Our prosecutors have put forward evidence that merits criminal charges and that evidence can and will be shared in a proper way with the Indian investigation and I’d expect that the Indian system, just like the American system, knows that murder-for-hire plots are illegal and will hold people accountable,” said the ambassador.
Garcetti didn’t predict if US authorities would seek Yadav’s extradition, but when asked if the US expects India to arrest him, Garcetti reiterated that American authorities expect accountability. “And that can happen probably in more than one way. Without accountability, justice won’t be served. I can’t speak about this individual’s criminal activities here in India but the prosecutors in the US clearly believe he was involved in a criminal conspiracy in America,” he said.
Asked about whether this issue might adversely impact the India-US relationship, given the speculation here that American authorities might be acting in tandem with the Canadians, the ambassador said, “that there’s too much at stake in our relationship for us not to get this right”.
“There’s no way we can compromise criminal activity and the fundamental values that murder-for-hire is illegal and that crossing borders for international murder plots is against the law. Any country’s first responsibility is defending its people’s rights, whether it’s freedom of speech or the right not to get killed. But there’s too much at stake to not get this right. I’m optimistic that we can get this right. We are collaborating, even the most difficult conversations are happening. I am confident India and America can get it right but it won’t be simple,’’ he said.
When asked about India’s concerns over the impunity enjoyed by Khalistan separatists in Canada, or that Pannun could issue threats to India from the US soil, and how the US could held India address some of these issues, the ambassador cited close counter terrorism cooperation between the 2 countries, and cited the example of how they had dealt with the case involving Mumbai attacks accused Tahawwur Rana.
“I’m very proud of the work we are doing together in counterterrorism. We always tell our Indian friends to focus on crimes. And when we focus on crimes, as opposed to opinions, we are able to see progress. When an Indian consulate is attacked, we launch a criminal investigation. We take the safety and security of Indian diplomats very seriously. We take terrorist acts, not words but acts, incredibly seriously. And threats on people’s lives is a crime in the US. Nobody is protected in the US against those sorts of criminal acts. For instance, in the Tahawwur Rana case, we have done everything the right way. We have worked closely together and that can result in a victory against terrorism for both India and the US as friends. We will continue to take real threats seriously,’’ said Garcetti.
On whether Rana could be extradited soon, he said there’s only one step left which is appeal to the Supreme Court . “I’ll leave it to the legal experts, but everybody says this is airtight, done correctly and it would be very surprising if he were to make one more appeal. And by the way that appeal doesn’t guarantee anything. Every court has so far upheld the work that India and the US are doing together on this extradition,” he said.
On charges against Yadav, Garcetti also said that in the American system, a politician or even the White House doesn’t pick up the phone and tell the prosecutor to bring charges or not. “That’s an independent decision based on the prosecutors’ belief in the evidence,” he said.
Asked about India’s latest diplomatic spat with Canada over the “expulsion” of the Indian high commissioner, Garcetti described both as close friends and partners of the United States and expressed hope they can reach an understanding. “It’s something really between India and Canada. I’d hope there can be an understanding. Justice is justice. That should be clear. I think these are countries that cooperate on issues of criminal justice all the time and I’d hope that can be achieved even in difficult moments,’’ he said.
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