NEW DELHI: A US court has ruled that National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval was not officially served summons during his visit to the US on February 12-13, dismissing claims by Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun that the notice had been successfully delivered.
The court’s decision came in response to a letter from Pannun’s lawyer, which revealed that US Secret Service agents guarding Blair House—the official guesthouse for visiting dignitaries—prevented the delivery. According to the letter, an agent even threatened to arrest the process server when he attempted to leave the summons outside the premises. Instead, the server left the document at a nearby Starbucks, a move deemed insufficient by the court.
A judge from the Southern District of New York stated that “the complaint was not delivered to a member of the hotel management, staff, or any officers or agents providing security for Defendant (Doval), as required by the court’s order.” This ruling aligns with India’s position that Doval was never served, a claim previously emphasized by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who had dismissed the allegations as baseless.
The summons originated from a civil lawsuit filed by Pannun in September 2023, related to an alleged plot to assassinate him—a case in which US authorities implicated an Indian government agent, Vikash Yadav. India has since conducted an internal investigation and recommended legal action against Yadav. Meanwhile, Indian national Nikhil Gupta remains in US custody over alleged involvement in the plot, with his trial set for November 3, 2025.
Pannun reportedly hired two process servers and an investigator to ensure the summons reached Doval during his two-day visit to Washington, D.C. The first server, identified as Ambiko Wallace, arrived at Blair House on February 12 at 7:22 PM but was stopped at a checkpoint and ordered to leave after presenting the document.
The following day, a second process server, Wayne Engram—described as an experienced professional with 15 years in the field—approached the security detail at 12:15 PM. When the Secret Service again refused to accept the summons, Engram attempted to leave it on the ground, citing it as a “standard method of service.” However, an agent warned that he would be arrested if he did so. As a result, Engram instead placed the sealed envelope in the public seating area of a Starbucks about 100 feet from the checkpoint. He then informed the agents of its location, requesting that they retrieve it and deliver it to Doval—an approach the court ruled inadequate.
Meanwhile, an investigator hired by Pannun contacted both Blair House staff and the Secret Service by phone but was told there was no authorized way to serve Doval at that location. Requests for an email address to send the summons were also denied.
The alleged plot against Pannun had threatened to escalate into a major diplomatic dispute, with the Biden administration demanding accountability while also supporting Canada’s accusations regarding the killing of another Khalistan leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar. However, with India recommending legal action against Yadav and pledging systemic reforms, New Delhi hopes the issue will not strain bilateral relations further.
Pannun, designated a terrorist by India in 2020, serves as the spokesperson for Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a Khalistan group that India has been urging the US to ban.
