Former RAW Official Charged by U.S. Authorities in Gurpatwant Pannun Murder Case

Vikas Yadav, a former Indian government official, has been charged by U.S. authorities for his alleged involvement in a foiled plot to assassinate Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil. The Justice Department announced the criminal charges on Thursday against Yadav, 39, who previously worked for the cabinet secretariat, which oversees India's foreign intelligence service, the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW). In response to inquiries regarding Yadav, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that he is "no longer an employee of the government of India." The FBI has also placed Yadav on its list of "wanted" fugitives.

Yadav faces serious charges including "murder-for-hire and money laundering" related to his alleged role in orchestrating the attempted assassination of Pannun, a pro-Khalistan leader. The Department of Justice stated that Yadav "remains at large."

Initially identified only as “CC-1” (co-conspirator) in the first indictment, Yadav is said to have conspired with Nikhil Gupta, a criminal associate who was arrested in the Czech Republic and extradited to the U.S. to face trial. FBI Director Christopher Wray emphasized that the case underscores the department's commitment to safeguarding Americans' rights, stating, “The defendant, an Indian government employee, allegedly conspired with a criminal associate and attempted to assassinate a U.S. citizen on American soil for exercising their First Amendment rights.”

The indictment reveals that Yadav, also known as “Amanat,” is the second individual charged in connection with this case. It outlines Yadav's role as a “senior field officer” with responsibilities in security management and intelligence, noting his prior service in India’s Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Evidence presented in the indictment includes a photograph of two individuals exchanging cash in a car in New York, which federal prosecutors claim was payment for the assassination attempt. This transaction took place on June 9, 2023, where an individual, acting as an informant for the FBI, was promised $100,000 for the job and received an advance of $15,000.

The Indian government has denied any involvement in the alleged assassination plot against an American national. In light of the allegations, New Delhi has established an inquiry committee to investigate the matter. The U.S. has expressed satisfaction with India's cooperation during the investigation.

This comes after the unsealing of the second indictment just 48 hours after an Indian inquiry committee met with officials from the FBI, the Department of Justice, and the State Department. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller acknowledged the ongoing cooperation between the two countries and said, "We continue to work with them on that, but we do appreciate the cooperation and we appreciate them updating us on their investigation as we update them on ours."​