US charges former Indian agent in Sikh separatist murder plot

Getty Images

Yadav was charged with conspiracy to murder Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

The United States has indicted a former Indian intelligence officer for allegedly leading a foiled plot to assassinate a U.S. citizen who was defending Khalistan — an independent Sikh state that would be split from India.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York said Thursday it has filed “murder-for-hire and money laundering charges” against Vikash Yadav for attempting to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

Yadav's indictment for the first time directly implicates the Indian government in the attempted assassination of a dissident.

The Indian government said it was cooperating with the ongoing investigation in the United States. He has not yet responded to the specific accusations against Mr. Yadav.

The development comes after Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national also charged in the case, was extradited to the United States from a Prague prison earlier this year.

The FBI accused Indian agents of involvement in an assassination attempt against Pannun, a dual U.S. and Canadian citizen, saying Pannun was targeted for exercising his “First Amendment rights” to free speech.

The FBI will not tolerate any act of violence or other attempt at retaliation against those who reside in the United States for exercising their constitutionally protected rights,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a statement.

India has labeled Pannun a terrorist, although he denies the allegation, saying he is a militant defender of Khalistan.

According to the US indictment, Yadav was the mastermind behind the plot to assassinate Pannun and he recruited Gupta in May 2023 to orchestrate the assassination in exchange for the dismissal of charges against him in India.

“Around June 2023, as part of the assassination plot, Yadav provided Gupta with personal information about the victim, including the victim's New York home address, telephone numbers associated with the victim, and details of the victims on a daily basis. daily conduct,” the indictment states.

On Thursday, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said the individual referred to as “CC-1” in the U.S. Justice Department indictment was no longer employed by the Indian government. .

However, he did not provide a specific name, leaving it unclear whether he was referring to Yadav, who is widely believed to be the same person.

In response to Yadav's indictment, Pannun said the attempt on his life on American soil was a “blatant case of transnational terrorism in India, which has become a challenge to American sovereignty and a threat to the freedom of expression and democracy.

US Department of Justice

A photo of Vikash Yadav released by the US Department of Justice

Yadav's indictment comes days after Canadian police and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian agents were involved in the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia, sparking a new feud that led both countries to expel diplomats.

India has dismissed the allegations as “absurd”, accusing Trudeau of pandering to Canada's large Sikh community for political purposes.

Earlier this week, the US State Department urged India to cooperate with the Canadian investigation.

Who is Vikash Yadav?

The indictment describes Yadav as a “citizen and resident of India.” He has also been called Vikas and Amanat.

It says he was part of the Indian government's cabinet secretariat, within which the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), the country's main intelligence agency, operates. RAW falls under the authority of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

The indictment further states that Yadav had described his position as that of a “senior field officer” with responsibilities in “security management” and “intelligence.”

He adds that he also served in India's Central Reserve Paramilitary Police Force (CRPF) and received training in “combat gear and weapons”.

The Washington Post reported that Yadav is still in India and that the United States is expected to seek his extradition, citing official U.S. sources.

The US State Department said it was pleased with India's cooperation in the investigation into the alleged assassination plot.

Meanwhile, relations between India and Canada continue to deteriorate, with Delhi and Ottawa firing a barrage of accusations at each other.

Mr. Jaiswal said Thursday that India had repeatedly asked Canada to extradite individuals suspected of being part of the group of imprisoned Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, but had received no response.

Canadian police said Indian government agents used members of Bishnoi's gang to carry out “homicides, extortion and violence” and target supporters of the pro-Khalistan movement. India has denied the allegations, saying Canada has not provided any evidence about them.

India's accusations came in response to Mr Trudeau's claims that India had made a “massive mistake” if it was behind the death of a Sikh separatist leader on Canadian soil.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos