New Delhi: The United States has revealed formally that the hitherto unnamed Indian government official who is allegedly responsible for a plot to assassinate pro-Khalistan activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is Vikash Yadav, an operative of the Research and Analysis Wing.
The US justice department announced charges against Yadav – dubbed ‘CC1’ in the initial indictment – with a press release on October 17.
“Vikash Yadav Directed Plot to Murder U.S.-Based Leader of Sikh Separatist Movement,” the release says.
Yadav is described as a 39-year-old who functions under the aliases Vikas and Amanat.
The US DoJ has invoked murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and money laundering charges against Yadav in a second superseding indictment unsealed on October 17 in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. The first indictment came in November 2023.
During times relevant to the second indictment, Yadav, the US said, was employed by the Government of India’s Cabinet Secretariat, which houses the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW). The indictment notes that this is a part of the Prime Minister’s Office.
Yadav has described his position as a “senior field officer” with responsibilities in “security management” and “intelligence.” Yadav also has referenced previously serving in India’s Central Reserve Police Force and receiving “officer training” in “battle craft” and “weapons.”
Yadav, it says, is a citizen and resident of India, and directed the plot to assassinate Pannun from India. The release does not name Pannun but makes it apparent that he is the ‘Victim’ in question.
Yadav’s alleged co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, was previously charged and extradited to the United States from the Czech Republic.
A couple of days ago, India reportedly told the US that it has arrested ‘CC1’, now revealed to be Yadav, and that he is no longer a government official. The indictment, however, notes that Yadav is at large.
The indictment clarifies that Gupta – or Yadav – is not seen as a ‘rogue’ operator. It states, “During Gupta’s communications with the CS and UC, Gupta repeatedly emphasised that his co-conspirators directing the assassination plot from India had extensive resources and were closely monitoring the progress of the plotting”.
The term “CS” refers to Nikhil Gupta’s criminal associate, who was an informant working with a US law enforcement agency. “UC” represents the undercover officer introduced to Gupta by CS as the supposed hitman.
As an example, the indictment referred to a video call on June 12, 2023 from Gupta to the alleged hitman from a conference room.
“During the call, Gupta turned the camera toward approximately three other men in the room who were dressed in business attire, sitting around a conference table with Gupta. As Gupta turned the camera back toward himself, he told the UC that “we are all counting on you.”
Two days later, Gupta texted ‘UC’ or the alleged hitman’ that ther was a “m[essage] from our friends for you brother”. “Gupta then forwarded a message that GUPTA had received from Yadav, stating: “follow [the Victim] till the time he enters his house or any other final place”.”
The ‘hitman’ was also reportedly assured that Gupta’s co-conspirators would provide a steady stream of work. “For example, on or about June 9, 2023, GUPTA told the CS during a call that the murder of the Victim would change the UC’s life because “we will give more bigger job more, more job every month, every month 2-3 job”.”
The US DoJ press release quotes Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division as having said:
“Today’s charges are a grave example of the increase in lethal plotting and other forms of violent transnational repression targeting diaspora communities in the United States. To the governments around the world who may be considering such criminal activity and to the communities they would target, let there be no doubt that the Department of Justice is committed to disrupting and exposing these plots and to holding the wrongful actors accountable no matter who they are or where they reside.”
FBI director Christopher Wray is quoted as having said that Yadav, “allegedly conspired with a criminal associate and attempted to assassinate a U.S. citizen on American soil for exercising their First Amendment rights.”
This “indictment names Vikash Yadav as an alleged mastermind,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is further quoted as having said.
The DEA is a key organisation in this indictment as two people considered associates by Nikhil Gupta in the alleged plot to murder Pannun, including the hitman he hired, turned out to be connected to the US Drug Enforcement Agency.
The details of the plot are described as such:
“In or about May 2023, Yadav recruited Gupta to orchestrate the assassination of the victim in the United States. Gupta is an Indian national who resided in India and has described his involvement in international narcotics and weapons trafficking in his communications with Yadav and others. At Yadav’s direction, Gupta contacted an individual whom Gupta believed to be a criminal associate, but who was in fact a confidential source (the CS) working with the DEA, for assistance in contracting a hitman to murder the victim in New York City. The CS introduced Gupta to a purported hitman, who was in fact a DEA undercover officer (the UC). Yadav subsequently agreed, in dealings brokered by Gupta, to pay the UC $100,000 to murder the victim. On or about June 9, 2023, Yadav and Gupta arranged for an associate to deliver $15,000 in cash to the UC as an advance payment for the murder. Yadav’s associate then delivered the $15,000 to the UC in Manhattan.
“In or about June 2023, in furtherance of the assassination plot, Yadav provided Gupta with personal information about the victim, including the victim’s home address in New York City, phone numbers associated with the victim, and details about the victim’s day-to-day conduct, which Gupta then passed to the UC. Yadav directed Gupta to provide regular updates on the progress of the assassination plot, which Gupta accomplished by forwarding to Yadav, among other things, surveillance photographs of the victim. Gupta directed the UC to carry out the murder as soon as possible, but Gupta also specifically instructed the UC not to commit the murder around the time of the Indian Prime Minister’s official state visit to the United States, which was scheduled to begin on or about June 20, 2023.
Notably the indictment mentions the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia, Canada – the subject of an unprecedented diplomatic row between Canada and India. Canada has alleged India’s role behind the murder, and recently behind widespread violence in the country.
Nijjar was an associate of the victim, and, like the victim, was a leader of the Sikh separatist movement and an outspoken critic of the Indian government. On or about June 19, 2023, the day after the Nijjar murder, Gupta told the UC that Nijjar “was also the target” and “we have so many targets.” Gupta added that, in light of Nijjar’s murder, there was “now no need to wait” on killing the Victim. On or about June 20, 2023, Yadav sent Gupta a news article about the victim and messaged Gupta, “[i]t’s [a] priority now.”
Unlike the Nijjar murder, India is largely seen to be cooperating with the US on the Pannun plot.
The indictment said that in early weeks of June, Yadav reportedly stressed that there any attempt to murder Pannun should not happen during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three-day visit to the United States from June 21 to 23 last year.
