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Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who was the target of a foiled 2023 assassination plot allegedly directed by an ex-Indian intelligence official, is facing new threats to his life that are being investigated by the FBI, Pannun told WTX US News on Thursday.

Pannun, a vocal critic of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said that FBI agents paid a visit to his New York City home earlier in the day to warn him about what he called an “imminent threat to my life.”

On Oct. 18, his organization, Sikhs for Justice, plans to hold a non-binding referendum in Edmonton, Canada, on whether the northern Indian province of Punjab should be declared independent and re-named “Khalistan.” Sikhs have been invited to vote on the measure.

Pannun said in a statement that the question is not whether he “survives another assassination plot.” Instead, it’s whether the right of Sikh people to self-determination “can be stopped through assassination threats.”

It cannot,” he said.

FBI agents told Pannun they are investigating leads and said the threat is connected to potential travel to Canada to participate in the referendum but did not provide him with any further information. 

The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan previously charged Indian national Nikhil Gupta and former Indian intelligence officer Vikash Yadav with plotting to assassinate Pannun, a dual American and Canadian citizen.

Gupta, who in February pleaded guilty to murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, is set to be sentenced in November, and Pannun is expected to speak at the sentencing.

The alleged plot targeting Pannun unfolded at the same time that Hardeep Singh Nijjar, another prominent Sikh separatist and friend of Pannun, was gunned down and killed in June 2023 by assassins outside his gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia.

In September 2023, Canadian officials said they had evidence linking his killing to Indian government agents, in violation of Canada’s sovereignty.

India has previously denied involvement in Nijjar’s killing and the attempt on Pannun’s life. It has labeled Sikh separatists as “terrorists” and claims they represent threats to India’s security.

This is not the first time American or Canadian law enforcement officials have warned Pannun of possible credible threats this year. Pannun said that in August and September, he was contacted by both the FBI and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police about other separate threats.

He said the warnings by law enforcement started not long after federal prosecutors in Los Angeles in July announced criminal charges against the prominent leader and eight associates of the Indian organized criminal group known as “Bishnoi,” tying them to Nijjar’s 2023 assassination.

Bishnoi was arrested by Indian authorities in 2015. Despite this, the indictment says he continued to run a global crime syndicate from his prison cell.

Bishnoi’s childhood friend, Satinderjit Singh Brar, allegedly directed the group’s North American operations and is also accused in the indictment of ordering the assassination, the indictment said.

Washington — Federal investigators said Wednesday that they are looking into “suspicious” letters mailed to state election officials and congressional offices, some of which contained unknown substances.

The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating the “suspicious mailings,” according to Brendan Donahue, the deputy chief inspector at the USPIS. Donahue told reporters that some letters have contained an unknown substance and that they were sent to “various addresses nationwide,” including “secretary of state offices and the related election offices.”

“We are committed to protecting our nation’s election officials from threatening and dangerous mail. Any threat or attack on an election official is unacceptable,” Donahue said. “Our partners, including the FBI and we at the Postal Inspection Service, will bring all of our resources to bear on these investigations.”

The Senate sergeant at arms also issued a notice to congressional staff informing them of the investigation. The message, which was obtained by WTX US News, said congressional offices were among those who received the suspicious letters.

A spokesman for Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut said his office was one of those targeted.

“Sen. Murphy’s office was sent a letter with a suspicious substance. Our office was promptly informed of the letter by FBI, SAA, and Capitol Police, and we continue to work closely with them and federal law enforcement,” said Josh Sorbe, a spokesman for Murphy. “Due to those efforts and various safety protocols, the Senator and staff were not in immediate danger.”

Federal officials are working to identify the responsible parties and have intercepted some of the letters, Donahue said. Donahue declined to provide an exact number of incidents or discuss possible connections, citing the ongoing investigation. He added that investigators would bring their full resources to bear on the cases.

The development comes less than three weeks before the midterm elections. Federal investigators also probed a series of suspicious letters ahead of the 2024 elections.

In addition to the congressional offices, top election officials in at least two states reported that their offices received packages containing a white powder in recent days.

Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry said Tuesday that an employee in her office’s Elections Division opened a package and found a white powder.

“Law enforcement responded to today’s incident and conducted tests that found no evidence of harmful substances,” she wrote on Facebook, adding that no one was injured.

The Oklahoma State Election Board said it received an envelope containing “suspicious” white powder Tuesday morning, and its office was evacuated.

Paul Ziriax, secretary of the election board, said no one was hurt as a result of the incident, and law enforcement is investigating.