London, AYT News | In a significant development that has escalated tensions between intelligence operations and international law enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued a 'wanted' poster for Vikash Yadav, a former official of India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), for his alleged role in a plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a U.S. citizen and a prominent figure in the Khalistan movement. The FBI's action comes after detailed investigations into a foiled assassination attempt on American soil, which was set to occur during or around the state visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year. Vikash Yadav, identified by his alias "Amanat" during communications, stands accused alongside Nikhil Gupta, who has already been arrested, extradited to the U.S., and has pleaded not guilty. Gupta's arrest in the Czech Republic and subsequent extradition marked one of the initial breakthroughs in this case. Yadav, born on December 11, 1984, in Haryana, India, is now a focal point of an international manhunt following charges of conspiracy to hire a hitman, murder-for-hire, and money laundering.
These charges carry significant penalties, with conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire potentially leading to a decade in prison, and conspiracy to commit money laundering up to 20 years. The plot, as detailed in the U.S. Justice Department's indictment, involved meticulous planning, with Yadav providing personal information about Pannun, including his address in New York and daily routines, to Gupta, who in turn was to liaise with an undercover U.S. law enforcement officer posing as a hitman. This intricate setup was meant to culminate in Pannun's assassination, which the U.S. authorities thwarted.
The involvement of a former RAW official has sparked a diplomatic stir, with the Indian Ministry of External Affairs clarifying that Yadav is no longer associated with the Indian government. This statement comes amidst allegations that the plot might have had roots in government-level dissatisfaction with Pannun's activities, which include advocating for Khalistani causes and legal actions against Indian officials for past human rights abuses against Sikhs.