Indian Government Employee Vikas Yadav Charged in Foiled Assassination Plot of U.S. Citizen

The U.S. Department of Justice has announced charges against Indian government employee Vikash Yadav, 39, in connection with a foiled plot to assassinate a U.S. citizen Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York City. Yadav is accused of orchestrating the murder-for-hire plot from India, targeting an outspoken critic of the Indian government who advocates for the secession of Punjab, a state with a large Sikh population. Vikas Yadav’s co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, 53, has already been charged and extradited to the U.S.

Yadav’s alleged involvement includes hiring Gupta to contract a hitman to murder the U.S. citizen, who is an attorney and political activist of Indian origin residing in New York. The victim is known for advocating for the creation of Khalistan, a separate Sikh state, and has been banned from India due to his separatist activities. Yadav, an employee of the Indian government’s foreign intelligence service, is accused of using his position to direct the plot.

Vikas Yadav Reportedly Indian Intelligence RAW Agent – Details released by US authorities

According to court documents, in May 2023, Yadav recruited Gupta, who had a background in narcotics and weapons trafficking, to carry out the assassination of Pannun. Gupta then contacted a confidential source working with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), who introduced him to an undercover agent posing as a hitman. Yadav agreed to pay the agent $100,000 for the murder and arranged for a $15,000 down payment to be delivered in Manhattan.

The Indian government has denied any association or involvement with a plot to kill an American national (Gurpatwant Singh Pannun) on US soil. In response to US allegations, New Delhi established an inquiry committee to investigate the matter. In New Delhi, the external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that the person identified in the indictment of the US Department of Justice (DoJ) is “no longer an employee of the government of India.” The US has expressed satisfaction with India’s cooperation on this matter. The second indictment was unsealed within 48 hours of an Indian Enquiry Committee visiting the US for a meeting with an inter-agency team of officials from the FBI, Department of Justice, and the State Department. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated, “We are satisfied with the cooperation. It continues to be an ongoing process. We continue to work with them on that, but we do appreciate the cooperation, and we appreciate them updating us on their investigation as we update them on ours.”

Justice Department Announces Charges Against Indian Government Employee in Connection with Foiled Plot to Assassinate U.S. Citizen in New York City https://t.co/80PSJB0q8M @NewYorkFBI pic.twitter.com/Qc6NniIFQd

— FBI (@FBI) October 17, 2024

The plot involved detailed surveillance of the victim, including personal information such as the victim’s home address and phone numbers, which Vikas Yadav allegedly provided to Nikhil Gupta. The plan was set to be executed during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the U.S. in June 2023. Still, Gupta instructed the hitman not to carry out the murder during the visit.

The assassination plot was further complicated by the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, another Sikh separatist leader, in British Columbia, Canada, just days before the planned hit of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York. Gupta reportedly told the undercover agent that Nijjar was also a target and, following his death, there was no need to delay the murder in New York.

Yadav and Gupta face charges of murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, carrying maximum sentences of 10 to 20 years in prison. Yadav remains at large, while Gupta is in U.S. custody. The DEA and FBI led the investigation with assistance from international partners.

This case highlights the growing concerns over transnational repression, where foreign governments target dissidents and critics abroad. U.S. authorities have vowed to hold anyone involved in such acts accountable, no matter their position or location.

View the second unsealed superseding indictment here