The United States has charged Vikash Yadav, a former Indian intelligence officer, for allegedly orchestrating a failed plot to assassinate a Sikh separatist and Indian critic living in New York City. The FBI has issued a warning against such retaliatory actions targeting US residents. The US Justice Department unsealed an indictment on Thursday, identifying Yadav as a former officer in India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) who led the conspiracy to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a dual US-Canadian citizen.
The indictment alleges that starting in May 2023, Yadav, then an Indian government employee, collaborated with individuals both in India and abroad to plan the assassination. The charges come as new details surface about Yadav’s December 2022 arrest in New Delhi, where he was implicated in an attempted murder case.
He and an associate were accused of kidnapping, assaulting, and robbing an Indian businessman in connection to the case, according to court documents.
Yadav’s lawyer, RK Handoo, dismissed the charges as “fallacious,” suggesting an international conspiracy to tarnish India’s reputation. While Yadav’s current location remains unclear, reports indicate he is still in India, and the US is expected to seek his extradition. Meanwhile, Indian authorities have linked the incident to Lawrence Bishnoi, a jailed organized crime leader, though Bishnoi’s lawyer contests the charges.
The broader context includes rising tensions between India and Western countries, with Canada recently accusing Indian agents of ties to Bishnoi’s gang and of targeting Indian dissidents abroad. India has denied these claims, and Yadav’s Delhi case continues to raise questions about potential connections between organized crime and government operatives.
