Indian Ex-Official Charged in US Murder-for-Hire Plot

The United States has charged Vikash Yadav, a former Indian government employee, in connection with an alleged murder-for-hire plot targeting pro-Khalistan separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The US Department of Justice announced on Thursday that Yadav, alongside co-conspirator Nikhil Gupta, faces charges of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and money laundering.

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a US and Canadian citizen, is associated with Sikhs for Justice, a New York-based group advocating for Punjab’s secession from India. The justice department revealed Yadav allegedly recruited Gupta, who then connected with a supposed hitman, now identified as a DEA confidential source. Anne Milgram, Administrator for the DEA, remarked, “Yadav used his position of authority and access to confidential information to direct the attempted assassination.”

Yadav, previously affiliated with India’s Cabinet Secretariat and its intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), is currently not in US custody. The indictment presented details of a plot organized from May to June 2023, during which Yadav allegedly supplied Gupta with detailed personal information about Pannun to aid in his assassination.

Nikhil Gupta, 53, previously extradited from the Czech Republic, has pleaded not guilty to similar charges. He was deceived into trafficking information to a DEA undercover officer, believing them to be a criminal associate. The case has strained diplomatic relations between India and Canada, especially after the unrelated murder of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

US Attorney General Merrick B. Garland emphasized the seriousness of the charges, stating, “Today’s charges demonstrate that the justice department will not tolerate attempts to target and endanger Americans and to undermine the rights to which every US citizen is entitled.”

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs confirmed Yadav is no longer employed by the Indian government, a point noted by State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, asserting that the US remains satisfied with ongoing cooperation from India regarding the case.

The US District Court for the Southern District of New York holds the case, with FBI New York office actively seeking information on Yadav, who remains at large. The charges against Yadav and Gupta each carry a potential 10-year prison sentence, with additional time possible for money laundering conspiracies.