The US Justice Department has filed criminal charges against Vikash Yadav, a former Indian government employee, accusing him of orchestrating a failed “murder-for-hire” plot to assassinate Khalistani separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who resides in New York City. Yadav, who was previously associated with India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), allegedly attempted to have Pannun killed through a hired hitman, according to US authorities.
The charges come as an inquiry committee from India, set up to investigate the alleged plot, held discussions with US officials in Washington. India, responding to the developments, stated that it is taking the US’s inputs “very seriously.”
During a press briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that Yadav is no longer employed by the Indian government. “The individual named in the US indictment is no longer an employee of the Government of India,” Jaiswal said.
The US indictment accuses Yadav of recruiting an Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, to hire a hitman to kill Pannun, a designated terrorist by India who holds American and Canadian citizenship. The assassination attempt, initiated in May 2023, was thwarted by US authorities. Gupta was extradited from the Czech Republic in June 2023 to face trial in the US, where he pleaded not guilty.
The case has added to the diplomatic tensions between India and the West, particularly following recent allegations from Canada that Indian officials were involved in targeting Sikh separatists.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that Indian diplomats were passing information to organised crime groups, leading to incidents of violence against activists in Canada. India has strongly denied the accusations, calling them “absurd.”
Following the US charges, Indian government sources told a section of media that there is no record of Yadav working with Indian intelligence agencies. “Indian intelligence does not hire hitmen,” they asserted. They suggested that Yadav’s alleged actions may be motivated by personal grievances rather than official government directives. However, India has pledged full cooperation with the US investigation.
The plot to assassinate Pannun, as detailed in the US indictment, reportedly involved Yadav collaborating with both domestic and international associates. Nikhil Gupta, believed to be connected to Yadav, has pleaded ‘not guilty’ in US court.
The US State Department expressed satisfaction with India’s cooperation. Spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed that a productive meeting took place with the Indian inquiry committee and that India had informed them that Yadav was no longer employed by the government.
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