The Washington Post has reported that Vikram Yadav, purportedly associated with the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), orchestrated a plot to target Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on US soil. Allegedly, Yadav, who is said to be currently affiliated with another governmental organization, provided Pannun's details, including his New York address.
The Ministry of External Affairs has reportedly refrained from responding to the claims made in the Washington Post article. This revelation follows a November 2022 report by the Financial Times, which suggested that the US thwarted an attempt to assassinate Pannun. The Financial Times also hinted at US concerns regarding the involvement of the Indian government in the purported scheme.
India promptly refuted these allegations, asserting that any notion of a conspiracy to eliminate Pannun ran counter to official government policy. In response, the government established a high-level inquiry committee in November 2023 to investigate the accusations.
Subsequently, an indictment was filed in a Manhattan court implicating Nikhil Gupta, who allegedly collaborated with an Indian government official—referred to as 'CC-1' in the indictment—to plan Pannun's assassination. 'CC-1', according to the charges, directed the plot from India and enlisted Gupta's assistance in May 2023 to carry out the killing.
The Washington Post's report suggests that 'CC-1' identified in the indictment is Vikram Yadav. Nikhil Gupta, aged 52, was apprehended in the Czech Republic on June 30, 2023, following charges levied by the US Justice Department linking him to the alleged conspiracy to murder Pannun. Gupta purportedly agreed to pay $100,000 to an assassin for the task, with an initial payment of $15,000 transferred on June 9, 2023, as per US officials.
