SFJ accuses Indian govt of offering bounty on US citizen, seeks Vance’s intervention

NEW YORK: In a dramatic escalation of tensions, the Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), a US-based advocacy group, has accused a senior member of India’s ruling BJP party of issuing a $250,000 bounty for the assassination of a US citizen.

This accusation comes ahead of US Vice President JD Vance’s scheduled visit to India on April 21, 2025.

The SFJ, known for its advocacy of Khalistan, a separate Sikh state, alleged that the bounty targets their leader, citing it as a flagrant act of transnational repression.

In a letter addressed to US Vice President Vance, SFJ’s General Counsel and prominent human rights attorney Gurpatwant Singh Pannun condemned the alleged offer as a criminal solicitation to commit assassination on US soil, thereby directly challenging American sovereignty and national security.

The letter, a stark indictment of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration, implored Vice President Vance to designate the bounty as an act of state-sponsored violent transnational repression.

It called for immediate action during his upcoming visit to India, urging the Vice President to publicly warn the Indian government of potential repercussions, including prosecution under US federal law, economic sanctions, and the designation of responsible entities as foreign terrorist actors.

Referendum for separate Sikh state Khalistan held in California

The SFJ’s plea underscored their belief in upholding democratic freedoms and protecting the safety of Khalistan Referendum organizers, regardless of economic or diplomatic considerations.