The U.S. has charged Vikash Yadav, a former Indian intelligence officer, for allegedly orchestrating a plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a U.S. citizen advocating for Khalistan, an independent Sikh state. The indictment includes charges of murder-for-hire and money laundering.
This marks a significant moment, as it directly implicates the Indian government in the assassination attempt. The FBI claims that Yadav directed the plot, providing personal information about Pannun to co-conspirator Nikhil Gupta, who has since been extradited from Prague.
The Indian government is cooperating with the U.S. investigation but has not commented on Yadav’s specific charges. Pannun denounced the plot as “transnational terrorism,” highlighting concerns about freedom of speech in the U.S.
Yadav, who reportedly remains in India, is described in the indictment as a senior officer with ties to India’s intelligence agency, RAW. The case unfolds amid escalating tensions between India and Canada over similar allegations of state-sponsored violence
