US state department spokesperson Matthew Miller
Former Indian Intelligence Officer Charged in US Over Khalistani Leader Assassination Plot
A former Indian intelligence officer, Vikash Yadav, has been charged by the United States for allegedly masterminding a plot to assassinate Khalistani separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York City.
Pannun, a dual US-Canadian citizen and advocate for an independent Sikh state called Khalistan, was the target of an elaborate murder-for-hire scheme, according to the US Justice Department.
Indian Spy Charged with Murder-for-Hire
Vikash Yadav, once associated with India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), is accused of coordinating the failed assassination attempt in collaboration with individuals in India and abroad. The charges against Yadav include murder-for-hire and money laundering. The indictment details how Yadav allegedly sought to eliminate Pannun in 2023, a designated terrorist by the Indian government.
Assassination Plot Foiled by FBI
Yadav reportedly recruited an Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, to carry out the killing. Gupta, who was arrested in Prague and later extradited to the US, has pleaded not guilty. The FBI, however, thwarted the plot, as the hired hitman turned out to be an undercover informant working with US authorities. The informant was paid $15,000 as an advance, just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US in June 2023.
Extradition and Further Investigation Expected
While Yadav remains in India, US officials are expected to seek his extradition to face charges. The indictment includes several details, including photographs of Yadav in military attire and messages exchanged between him and Gupta about delaying the assassination until after Modi’s visit to avoid diplomatic tensions.
This case adds to the ongoing tensions surrounding Khalistani separatists abroad, particularly after the assassination of another Khalistani figure, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Canada in 2023. US authorities remain vigilant in preventing any violent actions against individuals exercising their rights within its borders.
