The U.S. Justice Department announced on Thursday that it has filed murder-for-hire and money laundering charges against Vikash Yadav, a former Indian government employee, for his alleged role in a foiled plot to assassinate Khalistani activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a U.S. citizen.
According to the Justice Department, Yadav is named in a second superseding indictment unsealed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. His co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, 53, had previously been charged and extradited to the U.S. Yadav, however, remains at large.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland emphasized the Justice Department’s commitment to holding accountable anyone who seeks to harm American citizens, stating, “We will be relentless in pursuing justice for those who target and endanger Americans.”
Garland added that last year, U.S. authorities thwarted an assassination attempt directed by Yadav and Gupta against an American citizen exercising their First Amendment rights. FBI Director Christopher Wray echoed this sentiment, condemning any acts of violence aimed at individuals in the U.S. for expressing their rights.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen highlighted that these charges reflect a troubling trend of violent transnational repression targeting diaspora communities in the U.S. He warned that the Justice Department will actively disrupt such plots, holding those responsible accountable regardless of their nationality.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) played a key role in foiling the assassination attempt in 2023, tracing the plot back to Yadav, whom they allege orchestrated the scheme. DEA Administrator Anne Milgram stated that Yadav, using his position, sought to arrange the murder of a critic of the Indian government on U.S. soil.
According to U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, Yadav recruited Gupta in May 2023 to carry out the assassination. Gupta, who has a history of involvement in narcotics and weapons trafficking, allegedly sought the help of a criminal associate who turned out to be a confidential source working with the DEA.
The indictment details how Yadav agreed to pay $100,000 to a DEA undercover officer to murder the target. Yadav provided Gupta with personal information about the victim, including their address and daily activities, and directed him to give regular updates on the assassination plot.
The plot escalated following the June 2023 murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, which led Gupta to claim there was “now no need to wait” to kill the victim.
Yadav and Gupta face serious charges, including murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, each carrying substantial prison sentences.
The DEA New York Division and the FBI New York Field Office are conducting the investigation, with assistance from several international agencies.
The U.S. Justice Department noted that an indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that Yadav is no longer an employee of the Indian government. A spokesperson stated that the U.S. State Department informed them of Yadav’s current status.
In June, Gupta was extradited from the Czech Republic to the U.S., where he pleaded not guilty. The Indian government has also formed a high-level inquiry committee to address the security concerns raised by the U.S. regarding this case.
