Suspect Vikash Yadav was a former Indian government official.
The possible involvement of Indian government employee in an alleged plot to assassinate a US citizen who is a vocal critic of India's current government exposes the a widening rift in the Indian diaspora.
The court documents reveal the extent to which Indian officials were allegedly involved in the harassment and intimidation of people of Indian descent living in the US and Canada.The US Justice Department on Oct. 18 announced the filing of murder-for-hire and money laundering charges against Indian government employee, Vikash Yadav, 39, also known as Vikas, and Amanat, in connection with his role in directing a foiled plot to assassinate a US citizen in New York City.
Delhi Police had arrested Yadav on Dec. 18 in the Indian capital, the police officer told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
Yadav, 39, described the claims as false media reports when he spoke to his cousin, Avinash Yadav, the relative told Reuters on Saturday. India’s Ministry of External Affairs said Yadav was no longer employed by the government.
Yadav is charged in a second superseding indictment unsealed Oct. 19 in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. Yadav’s alleged co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, 53, was previously charged and extradited to the United States on the charges contained in the first superseding indictment. Yadav remains at large.
“The Justice Department will be relentless in holding accountable any person — regardless of their position or proximity to power — who seeks to harm and silence American citizens,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland.“As alleged, last year, we foiled an attempt by Vikash Yadav, an Indian government employee, and his co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, to assassinate an American citizen on US soil. Today’s charges demonstrate that the Justice Department will not tolerate attempts to target and endanger Americans and to undermine the rights to which every US citizen is entitled.”
“The defendant, an Indian government employee, allegedly conspired with a criminal associate and attempted to assassinate a US citizen on American soil for exercising their First Amendment rights,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI will not tolerate acts of violence or other efforts to retaliate against those residing in the U.S. for exercising their constitutionally protected rights."
Sikhs for Justice said the US indictment demonstrated Washington’s “commitment … to protect the life, liberty and freedom of expression of the US Citizen at home and abroad”.
As alleged in the second superseding indictment and other public court documents, in 2023, Yadav, working together with others, including Gupta, in India, and elsewhere, directed a plot to assassinate on US. soil an attorney and political activist who is a US citizen of Indian origin residing in New York City (the victim).
“The defendant, an Indian government employee, allegedly conspired with a criminal associate and attempted to assassinate a US citizen on American soil for exercising their First Amendment rights,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI will not tolerate acts of violence or other efforts to retaliate against those residing in the U.S. for exercising their constitutionally protected rights."
Sikhs for Justice said the US indictment demonstrated Washington’s “commitment … to protect the life, liberty and freedom of expression of the US Citizen at home and abroad”.
As alleged in the second superseding indictment and other public court documents, in 2023, Yadav, working together with others, including Gupta, in India, and elsewhere, directed a plot to assassinate on US. soil an attorney and political activist who is a US citizen of Indian origin residing in New York City (the victim).
The victim is a vocal critic of the Indian government and leads a US-based organization that advocates for the secession of Punjab, a state in northern India that is home to a large population of Sikhs, an ethnoreligious minority group in India. The victim has publicly called for some or all of Punjab to secede from India and establish a Sikh sovereign state called Khalistan, and the Indian government has banned the victim and his separatist organization from India.
During times relevant to the second superseding indictment, Yadav was employed by the Government of India’s Cabinet Secretariat, which houses India’s foreign intelligence service, the Research and Analysis Wing. Yadav has described his position as a “senior field officer” with responsibilities in “security management” and “intelligence.” Yadav also has referenced previously serving in India’s Central Reserve Police Force and receiving “officer[] training” in “battle craft” and “weapons.” Yadav is a citizen and resident of India, and he directed the plot to assassinate the victim from India.
In or about May 2023, Yadav recruited Gupta to orchestrate the assassination of the victim in the United States. Gupta is an Indian national who resided in India and has described his involvement in international narcotics and weapons trafficking in his communications with Yadav and others. At Yadav’s direction, Gupta contacted an individual whom Gupta believed to be a criminal associate, but who was in fact a confidential source (the CS) working with the DEA, for assistance in contracting a hitman to murder the victim in New York City.
During times relevant to the second superseding indictment, Yadav was employed by the Government of India’s Cabinet Secretariat, which houses India’s foreign intelligence service, the Research and Analysis Wing. Yadav has described his position as a “senior field officer” with responsibilities in “security management” and “intelligence.” Yadav also has referenced previously serving in India’s Central Reserve Police Force and receiving “officer[] training” in “battle craft” and “weapons.” Yadav is a citizen and resident of India, and he directed the plot to assassinate the victim from India.
In or about May 2023, Yadav recruited Gupta to orchestrate the assassination of the victim in the United States. Gupta is an Indian national who resided in India and has described his involvement in international narcotics and weapons trafficking in his communications with Yadav and others. At Yadav’s direction, Gupta contacted an individual whom Gupta believed to be a criminal associate, but who was in fact a confidential source (the CS) working with the DEA, for assistance in contracting a hitman to murder the victim in New York City.
The CS introduced Gupta to a purported hitman, who was in fact a DEA undercover officer (the UC). Yadav subsequently agreed, in dealings brokered by Gupta, to pay the UC $100,000 to murder the victim. On or about June 9, 2023, Yadav and Gupta arranged for an associate to deliver $15,000 in cash to the UC as an advance payment for the murder. Yadav’s associate then delivered the $15,000 to the UC in Manhattan.
In or about June 2023, in furtherance of the assassination plot, Yadav provided Gupta with personal information about the victim, including the victim’s home address in New York City, phone numbers associated with the victim, and details about the victim’s day-to-day conduct, which Gupta then passed to the UC.
In or about June 2023, in furtherance of the assassination plot, Yadav provided Gupta with personal information about the victim, including the victim’s home address in New York City, phone numbers associated with the victim, and details about the victim’s day-to-day conduct, which Gupta then passed to the UC.
Yadav allegedly directed Gupta to provide regular updates on the progress of the assassination plot, which Gupta accomplished by forwarding to Yadav, among other things, surveillance photographs of the victim. Gupta directed the UC to carry out the murder as soon as possible, but Gupta also specifically instructed the UC not to commit the murder around the time of the Indian Prime Minister’s official state visit to the United States, which was scheduled to begin on or about June 20, 2023.
On or about June 18, 2023, approximately two days before the Indian Prime Minister’s state visit to the United States, masked gunmen murdered Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia, Canada.
Last September, Candian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau suggested there were “credible allegations potentially linking” Indian officials with the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and Sikh activist, who was shot dead in British Columbia.
On or about June 18, 2023, approximately two days before the Indian Prime Minister’s state visit to the United States, masked gunmen murdered Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia, Canada.
Last September, Candian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau suggested there were “credible allegations potentially linking” Indian officials with the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and Sikh activist, who was shot dead in British Columbia.
During an interview with CTV News, Sanjay Kumar Verma – the Indian high commissioner to Canada and who has been linked to the intimidation – repeatedly said he has not been presented with any evidence.
Verma said India is “committed not to do extrajudicial killings on any territory”.
He also said he had never directed or coerced individuals into gathering information on pro-Khalistan activists in Canada. “I, as high commissioner of India, have never done anything of that kind,” he told CTV News.
Besides India, the DOJ has filed charges against several individuals working in behalf ot the Peoples Republic of China that have harassed and threatened US citizens and residents of Chinese dessent for their anti-PRC activities.
“Today’s charges are a grave example of the increase in lethal plotting and other forms of violent transnational repression targeting diaspora communities in the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
“Today’s charges are a grave example of the increase in lethal plotting and other forms of violent transnational repression targeting diaspora communities in the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
“To the governments around the world who may be considering such criminal activity and to the communities they would target, let there be no doubt that the Department of Justice is committed to disrupting and exposing these plots and to holding the wrongful actors accountable no matter who they are or where they reside.”
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