Vikash Yadav, a former official of Research and Analysis Wing (Raw) has been charged in the United States by US Justice Department in connection with foiled murder plot against pro-Khalistan terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The Department of Justice has released a statement in this regard.
Who is Vikash Yadav?
Press Trust of India (PTI) has reported that Vikash Yadav was employed by Cabinet Secretariat which oversees RAW. Yadav hails from Haryana.
USA's Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has charged Yadav with murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and money laundering conspiracy.
The FBI has released a wanted poster for Vikash Yadav. As per information released by FBI, Yadav was born in Pranpura, Haryana on December 11, 1984. His height has been described as being between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet one inch.
The US Justice Department had filed first indictment against Yadav in 2023. His name was not revealed at the time and he was referred to as 'CC-1'.
Justice department filed a second superseding indictment which was unsealed in US District Court for the Southern District of New York on Thursday (October 17). Vikash Yadav has been identified by name in this indictment.
A federal arrest warrant was issued against Yadav on October 10.
It has been reported that it was Yadav who recruited 'co-conspirator' Nikhil Gupta, who is now in US jail and has pleaded 'not guilty' to charges against him in connection with the murder attempt.
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The FBI says that Yadav, along with Nikhil Gupta arranged for USD 15000 in cash to be brought in New York to pay an associate before the murder.
India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday that "the individual named in the US indictment in Pannun case" no longer works with the Indian government.
"The US State Department informed us that the individual mentioned in the indictment is no longer employed by India. I confirm that he is no longer an employee of the Government of India," said MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Thursday.
The FBI has said that Vikash Yadav remains 'at large'.