In a shocking development that has strained relations between the US and India, federal prosecutors in New York have accused a former Indian RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) official, Vikas Yadav, of plotting to assassinate a Sikh American separatist last summer. The alleged plot, which coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the United States, has sparked a diplomatic row and raised serious concerns about national security.
According to the Department of Justice, Yadav, a 39-year-old former employee of the Cabinet Secretariat, which oversees India’s foreign intelligence service, faces three charges, including murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He is believed to have left government service and currently remains at large.
The indictment, which spans 18 pages, alleges that Yadav conspired with his co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, who was arrested in Czechoslovakia last year and extradited to the US, to carry out the assassination. The indictment includes a photograph of two individuals exchanging dollars in a car in New York, which prosecutors claim depicts the payment of an advance to the alleged hired killer. The alleged payment occurred on June 9, 2023, just weeks before Prime Minister Modi’s state visit.
Yadav is accused of directing Gupta and the alleged killer to hold off on the assassination until after Modi’s visit, highlighting the potential political ramifications of the alleged plot. The indictment also reveals that Yadav, Gupta, and the alleged killer communicated about a similar incident involving the killing of another Sikh separatist, Nijjar, in Canada.
The victim, a vocal critic of the Indian government, leads a US-based organization advocating for the secession of Punjab, a state in northern India with a large Sikh population. He has publicly called for the creation of a Sikh sovereign state called Khalistan, which is banned by the Indian government.
Following the US allegations, India established an inquiry committee to investigate the matter, and the US has expressed satisfaction with India’s cooperation. The indictment comes just 48 hours after a meeting between the Indian inquiry committee and an inter-agency team from the FBI, Department of Justice, and State Department to discuss the allegations.
The Indian government has denied any involvement in the alleged plot. However, the US has expressed its commitment to protecting the life, liberty, and freedom of expression of its citizens, both domestically and abroad, by indicting Yadav. The investigation is ongoing, and the full implications of this alleged plot remain to be seen.