Amid the ongoing tensions between India and Canada over the killing of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a former Indian government official has been named in connection with an earlier assassination attempt on Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the United States. The individual has been identified as Vikash Yadav, who is also alleged to have been involved in an attempt to orchestrate the murder of Pannun, a pro-Khalistan terrorist.
The revelation came after a second superseding indictment was made public in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. The indictment includes charges of murder-for-hire and money laundering against Vikash Yadav, who is accused of directing a plot to kill a US citizen. A statement from the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York confirmed Yadav’s involvement in the foiled assassination plan targeting Pannun in New York City.
Who Is Vikash Yadav?
According to the indictment, Yadav is an Indian national who formerly worked for India’s Cabinet Secretariat, which oversees the country’s intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW). He held the position of a senior field officer, responsible for managing security and intelligence operations. Yadav also previously served in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), where he held the rank of Assistant Commandant, according to news website First Post. His training reportedly included counterintelligence, battlecraft, and weapons handling.
Further details provided by the FBI describe Yadav as 39 years old, standing between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet 1 inch, and weighing about 79 kg. He was born in Pranpura, Haryana.
Yadav’s Alleged Role in the Pannun Assassination Plot
The indictment sheds light on Yadav’s role in planning the assassination of Pannun in May 2023. The US Justice Department alleges that Yadav recruited Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, to carry out the murder. Gupta had been previously extradited from the Czech Republic to the US in connection with the case. Yadav is said to have directed Gupta to hire a hitman for the job, providing him with detailed information about Pannun’s residence in New York, his phone numbers, and his daily routine.
On June 18, 2023, just days before the Indian Prime Minister’s visit to the United States, Hardeep Singh Nijjar was murdered outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia, Canada. Following Nijjar’s killing, Gupta remarked that Nijjar had been one of their targets and that there were more to follow. He also informed Yadav that the time had come to act on Pannun’s assassination.
Shortly thereafter, Yadav instructed Gupta to move quickly and find an opportunity to execute the plan. The two continued to communicate about the plot, but it ultimately failed when Gupta was arrested in the Czech Republic on June 30, 2023, reported The Times of India.
What US Officials Said
While the indictment does not prove the charges, it holds considerable significance. US Attorney Damian Williams remarked that Nikhil Gupta had been charged the previous year for conspiring to murder a US citizen. However, it has now been revealed that Gupta was not acting alone, as Vikash Yadav allegedly orchestrated the plot from India, directing Gupta to hire a hitman. Williams emphasized the importance of safeguarding free speech and warned that anyone attempting to harm or silence US citizens, regardless of location, would be held accountable, reported First Post.
FBI Director Christopher Wray also condemned the plot, stating that Yadav, a government official, conspired with a criminal associate to assassinate a US citizen for exercising their First Amendment rights. Wray assured that the FBI would not tolerate any acts of violence aimed at suppressing free speech and vowed to work with partners to hold those responsible for such actions accountable.
India has acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations and launched a high-level investigation into the matter. A delegation from India recently met with US officials in Washington to discuss the ongoing probe. The MEA, however, has said the individual was no longer employed by India. US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby noted that India's engagement in the investigation indicates their commitment to addressing the issue.