New York: The US State Department dismissed reports claiming that the country expelled Indian diplomats in the midst of growing tension between India and Canada, India Today reported.
The US State Department responded to rumours that began doing rounds after Canada named India’s High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Verma, and several other diplomats as ‘persons of interest’ in its probe into the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller on Tuesday said that he was not familiar with the reports that Indian diplomats were expelled, adding that ‘I'm not aware of any such expulsion’.
After Canada named officials as ‘persons of interest’, India withdrew six of its diplomats in the country earlier this month.
Just as relations between both countries further strained, India expelled six Canadian diplomats.
The US State Department also responded to questions regarding extradition of the former R&AW official Vikash Yadav.
The US authorities named Yadav in a plot to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US.
Miller made it clear that extradition decisions come under the purview of the US Department of Justice (DOJ).
Miller was quoted as saying: ‘I would refer you to the Justice Department on that when it comes to extradition. That’s a legal matter that we defer to DOJ’.
While stating that the US expected ‘real accountability’, Miller said that the Indian delegation visited the US two weeks ago to discuss the progress of its investigation.
Vikash Yadav, said the Ministry of External Affairs, no longer held any official position within Indian government.