Former Indian Official Charged in U.S. Murder Plot Previously Arrested in Delhi

 

A former Indian government official, Vikash Yadav, has been charged in the United States for allegedly orchestrating a foiled murder plot against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a prominent Sikh separatist and dual U.S.-Canadian citizen. This development follows Yadav’s arrest in New Delhi last December on charges of attempted murder.

According to court records and statements from a police officer, Yadav was detained by Delhi Police on December 18, 2023. He and an associate were accused of kidnapping, assaulting, and robbing an Indian businessman, with the intention of extorting money under the guise of a notorious gangster’s name.

The U.S. Justice Department unsealed the indictment against Yadav, detailing his alleged involvement in the murder plot from May 2023. The indictment claims Yadav, while still an Indian government employee, collaborated with associates both in India and abroad to target Pannun. The plot was uncovered when one of Yadav’s associates, in search of a hitman, inadvertently contacted a Drug Enforcement Administration informant.

Yadav’s lawyer has dismissed the charges as part of an international conspiracy to defame his client and the Indian government. Meanwhile, U.S. authorities are expected to seek Yadav’s extradition.

This case has further strained diplomatic relations between India and Canada, already tense due to allegations of Indian involvement in the murder of another Sikh separatist in Canada last year.