A former Indian government official, Vikash Yadav, 39, was indicted in the United States this week for allegedly orchestrating a failed murder plot. This comes after he was arrested in New Delhi in December in connection with an attempted murder case, according to court records and a police officer.
The US Justice Department unveiled the indictment on Thursday, accusing Yadav of leading a plot to assassinate a Sikh separatist in New York. The indictment alleges that from May 2023, Yadav, described as an Indian government employee at the time, collaborated with individuals in India and abroad to direct the plot against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a dual US-Canadian citizen.
Delhi Police arrested Yadav on December 18 in the Indian capital, a police officer told Reuters on condition of anonymity. Yadav and an associate were charged with attempted murder and other offenses, as per a filing in a Delhi district court.
Yadav's lawyer, RK Handoo, dismissed the Indian charges as "fallacious," suggesting there was "an international plot to tarnish the reputation of the Indian government and my client." Handoo declined to comment further. Neither he nor the police responded to inquiries about Yadav's current whereabouts. The Washington Post, citing American officials, reported that Yadav was still in India, and the US was expected to seek his extradition.
Yadav's arrest stemmed from a complaint by an Indian businessman, who alleged that Yadav and an associate kidnapped him in December, assaulted and robbed him. According to a Delhi district court order dated February 23, the accused individuals allegedly tortured and manhandled the complainant, demanding money in the name of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.
Bishnoi, currently incarcerated in Gujarat, India, is a leader of an organized crime gang, according to India's National Investigation Agency. Bishnoi's lawyer claims he is contesting over 40 cases, including charges of murder and extortion, with many trials yet to commence.
Separately, Indian government agents were accused by Canada this week of having ties to Bishnoi's gang and running a campaign targeting Indian dissidents in Canada. The Indian government has denied these allegations.
In Yadav's Delhi case, the court order, citing the complaint, stated: "The accused persons also took a bank cheque book from the cafe of the complainant, obtained his signature on blank cheques, and later dropped him near his car, threatening him to remain silent."
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