The recent diplomatic tensions between the government of Canada and the Indian government have created significant ripples in geopolitical circles. Further complicating matters, allegations of an assassination attempt on Khalistani extremist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on U.S. soil, allegedly by agents of India’s Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), have strained relations between the United States and India.
Amid this delicate situation, a viral social media report claims that Indian Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and businessman Gautam Adani are reportedly barred from traveling to the United States or Canada due to alleged involvement in human rights violations, espionage activities, and financial misconduct, respectively.
Raju Parulekar shared an infographic with the caption, ‘ Jai Shree Ram.’
Jai ShreeaRam‼️ pic.twitter.com/VTvSSNRZCE
— Raju Parulekar (@rajuparulekar) November 25, 2024
The media publication Indian Herald claimed, “Modi’s close aide Adani, along with Amit Shah and Ajit Doval, cannot travel to the USA or Canada.”
Congress supporter Veena Jain stated, ‘Modi’s close aide, Gautam Adani – Can’t travel to USA. Amit Shah – Can’t travel to Canada. Ajit Doval – Can’t travel to USA. But still, Godi media & BJP IT cell tell u that, Modi is a ‘Vishwaguru”
Modi's close aide,
— Veena Jain (@DrJain21) November 22, 2024
> Gautam Adani – Can't travel to USA 🇺🇸
> Amit Shah – Can't travel to Canada 🇨🇦
> Ajit Doval – Can't travel to USA 🇺🇸
But still, Godi media & BJP IT cell tell u that, Modi is a 'Vishwaguru' 🤯🤦♂️ #Adani
pic.twitter.com/SrQWJYEFun
Also Read: Old Video shared With False Claim of Sikh Man Lynched by Hindus in Uttar Pradesh
Fact Check
We began our fact-checking efforts by conducting a Google search on the matter. However, we found no credible reports to substantiate the claims made by the Indian Herald publication.
Amit Shah
Next, we reviewed the U.S. State Department’s website and searched for references to Amit Shah. During this search, we came across a press briefing dated October 30, 2024, where a journalist asked the State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller:
“Sir, the Canadian Government has alleged that India’s Home Affairs Minister, Amit Shah, a close associate of Prime Minister Modi, was behind a recent series of plots to murder and intimidate six leaders on Canadian soil. Does the U.S. share this understanding?”
Miller responded:
“The allegations made by the Government of Canada are concerning, and we will continue to consult with the Canadian Government about those allegations.”
Further investigating the Canadian government’s allegations, we found that Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison, speaking before a parliamentary committee, accused Amit Shah of orchestrating a campaign of violence, intimidation, and intelligence operations targeting Sikh separatists in Canada. Morrison reportedly disclosed Shah’s name to The Washington Post but did not provide evidence to support these claims.
In response, India summoned a representative from the Canadian High Commission on October 28 to lodge a strong objection to these accusations against Amit Shah.
We also searched the State Department’s website for mentions of a travel ban involving Amit Shah. Our search revealed no such listing. The most recent travel ban imposed by the U.S. government, on October 9, targeted Rafael Vicente Correa Delgado and Jorge David Glas Espinel, former leaders of Ecuador, for corruption and abuse of power.
Additionally, the diplomatic tensions between Canada and India involving Amit Shah emerged around October 29-30, while the latest U.S. travel ban predates this timeline, making the Indian Herald’s claim highly implausible.
Moreover, the allegations made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau against India’s Home Minister lack concrete evidence and remain speculative at best. Thus, the claim by the Indian Herald that Amit Shah is barred from traveling to the U.S. is false.
Ajit Doval
Regarding India’s National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, we conducted a similar fact-checking process and found no credible evidence to support the claims made by the Indian Herald.
We also reviewed the U.S. State Department’s website and found that the most recent press briefing mentioning Ajit Doval occurred in July 2023. During this briefing, Vedant Patel, the Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, was asked about a meeting between U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Ajit Doval prior to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington, D.C.
Additionally, we reviewed a report published by The Indian Express on November 23, 2023, which highlighted a statement by Canadian National Security Advisor Nathalie G. Drouin. Drouin contradicted claims made by The Globe and Mail on November 19, which suggested that Canadian security agencies believed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and NSA Ajit Doval were aware of the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia and other violent plots.
In her statement, Drouin clarified:
“The Government of Canada has not stated, nor is it aware of evidence linking Prime Minister Modi, Minister Jaishankar, or NSA Doval to the serious criminal activity within Canada.”
We also found a report published by Live Mint on September 19, 2024, stating that Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Khalistani separatist, filed a civil lawsuit in a U.S. court, accusing the Indian government of conspiring to assassinate him. According to NDTV, the District Court for the Southern District of New York issued a summons to the Indian government in relation to the lawsuit, requiring a response within 21 days.
The lawsuit also names several individuals, including India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, former Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) chief Samant Goel, R&AW agent Vikram Yadav, and Indian businessman Nikhil Gupta, alleging their involvement in the supposed conspiracy.
This official clarification, along with the lack of any credible reports or allegations against Ajit Doval that would restrict his travel to Canada or the United States, confirms that the viral claim is false. There are no criminal charges or travel restrictions against NSA Ajit Doval in either of these countries.
Gautam Adani
In a recent development, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York filed charges against the Adani Group in connection with an alleged bribery scheme. The charges accuse Gautam Adani of orchestrating a large-scale bribery operation to secure power supply contracts. Summonses have been issued to Gautam Adani and his nephew, Sagar Adani, by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). According to Reuters, cited by The Indian Express Arrest warrants were issued for Gautam Adani and Sagar Adani in United States after a grand jury indictment on alleged bribery charges. These warrants were reportedly set to be handed over to foreign law enforcement agencies.
The Adani Group has denied all charges, calling them baseless. Additionally, the court order also stated:
“The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.”
Further, after reviewing the U.S. State Department website for any mention of a travel ban against Gautam Adani, no such information was found. It is worth noting that the Department of Justice has requested a response to the allegations within 21 days.
The bribery case remains an allegation at this stage, and investigations are ongoing. Indictment is based on allegations, which need to be proven, it is not a conviction. Therefore, the claim made by the Indian Herald that Gautam Adani cannot travel to the United States is misleading.
Conclusion:
Our investigation reveals that the claims made by the Indian Herald regarding Union Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and businessman Gautam Adani being barred from traveling to the United States or Canada are false.
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