In the context of the ongoing legal matters between India and the United States regarding the purported foiled plot to assassinate Sikh separatist Gurupatwant Singh Pannun, the United States has formally charged former Indian government employee Vikash Yadav on October 17 for allegedly orchestrating a complex murder-for-hire scheme. The U.S. Justice Department issued a statement indicating that Yadav faces charges of murder-for-hire and money laundering. This marks the second superseding indictment by authorities, following the earlier charges against Nikhil Gupta, who was extradited to the United States for his involvement in the assassination conspiracy. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland emphasized the commitment of the Justice Department to hold accountable anyone, irrespective of their status or influence, who attempts to harm or silence American citizens. He stated, “As alleged last year, we thwarted an effort by Vikash Yadav, an Indian government employee, and his co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, to carry out an assassination on U.S. soil. The charges announced today underscore the Justice Department’s zero tolerance for actions that threaten Americans and violate the rights afforded to every U.S. citizen.”In 2023, Vikash Yadav was charged in a superseding indictment for conspiring with others, including Gupta, to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Pannun, a plot thwarted by US authorities. Yadav, an employee of India’s Cabinet Secretariat, was identified as the mastermind, though Indian officials denied the allegations. US authorities reported that Yadav enlisted Gupta in May 2023 to arrange the assassination in the US. Gupta contacted someone he thought was part of a criminal network for help hiring a hitman, who turned out to be a DEA undercover officer. Yadav agreed to pay $100,000 for the murder, with an associate delivering a $15,000 advance in cash to the undercover officer in Manhattan.
On or around June 18, 2023, just two days prior to the Indian Prime Minister’s official visit to the United States, masked assailants fatally shot Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia, Canada. Nijjar was affiliated with the victim and, similar to the victim, was a prominent figure in the Sikh separatist movement and a vocal critic of the Indian government. Furthermore attack around June 19, 2023, the day following Nijjar’s assassination, Gupta informed the UC that Nijjar “was also the target” and “we have so many targets.” Gupta further stated that, in light of Nijjar’s death, there was “now no need to wait” to eliminate the victim. On or around June 20, 2023, Yadav forwarded Gupta a news article concerning the victim and messaged him, “[i]t’s [a] priority now.”Additionally, it is important to highlight that in response to the claims from the United States, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) previously confirmed that the “individual” mentioned in the indictment from the US Justice Department is no longer affiliated with the Indian government. “The US State Department has informed us that the individual in the Justice Department indictment is no longer employed by India. I confirm that he is no longer an employee of the Government of India,” stated MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.