Vikash Yadav, 'Wanted' in Pannun Case, Was Arrested Last Year By Delhi Police Special Cell

New Delhi: A day after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released a wanted poster for Vikash Yadav - allegedly accused of plotting pro-khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun- it has come to light that he was arrested in an extortion case by the Delhi Police Special Cell. This arrest occurred less than three weeks after he was mentioned by US Department of Justice (DOJ) documents as "CC-1" (co-conspirator) last November. As per a leading English daily's report, Yadav had spent four months in Tihar Jail and was released on bail in April earlier this year.

On Friday, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) identified Vikash Yadav, 39, as an "Indian government employee" and charged him with "murder-for-hire" and money laundering in connection with the alleged plot to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, residing in New York City.  India has rejected unsubstantiated claims and said Yadav was “not part of the government of India set up”. The DOJ's announcement linked Yadav to this foiled scheme, which prosecutors revealed last year. 

Following the FBI's warrant against Yadav, a spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that he was "not part of the government of India set-up." The MEA stated that the individual named in the DOJ's indictment related to a foiled assassination plot against Khalistani terrorist Pannun is no longer an employee of the Indian government. "The US State Department informed us that the individual in the Justice Department indictment is no longer employed by India. I confirm that he is no longer an employee of the Government of India," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a press conference.

Vikash Yadav was arrested by Delhi Police in Dec 2023

On December 18, 2023, the Delhi Police Special Cell arrested Yadav following an FIR filed by a Rohini resident, who accused him of extortion and kidnapping and connected him to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. In his complaint, the Rohini resident claimed that he ran an IT company and had established contacts with several Indians settled in West Asia.

Yadav's arrest in Delhi and subsequent release on bail is in focus as the FBI's New York office placed him on its wanted list and is looking for information about him.

Yadav Kidnapped and Extorted Money From Rohini Man

As per the report, the man in his complaint said that in November last year, one of his friends introduced him to Yadav, who was presented as a senior government official, and they exchanged contact numbers. They developed a good friendship, but never talked about business due to Yadav's position as a government official. However, he frequently showed interest in the complainant's friends living abroad and inquired about how he handled money transactions with them.

The complainant also alleged that Yadav claimed to be “some kind of undercover agent” carrying out a sensitive operation for a Central agency, but he never revealed his designation or office address. The man said, “On December 11, he called and informed me there was something serious that he wanted to discuss and it is re- lated to my life. We decided to meet at... Lodhi Road.”

As per the man's complaint, Yadav arrived in a vehicle with an accomplice and forcibly took the complainant to a flat near Defence Colony. It stated that Yadav informed him there was a "supari" (contract) to eliminate him, given by gangster Lawrence Bishnoi at the request of a Dubai-based individual. The complainant alleged that he was eventually "hit on my head" by Yadav's accomplice and forced to hand over his gold chain and some rings. He also claimed that they visited a café he operated and took cash from his outlet.

Chargesheet Against Yadav

The complainant stated that he was eventually dropped off on the road and warned of serious consequences if he approached police. Yadav and his accomplice were arrested by the police the following day. According to the chargesheet filed before a Delhi court on March 13 of this year, the men were charged under IPC Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 364A (abduction), 506 (threatening), 341 (wrongful confinement), 328 (poisoning), and Sections 25/27 of the Arms Act.

Citing the chargesheet, a senior police officer said that Yadav disclosed to the police that his father worked with the Border Security Force and he died in 2007. Yadav got married in 2015. He met the complainant at a social gathering and decided to make money by kidnapping him. His accomplice, a car dealer, informed the police that he was experiencing financial losses in his business and chose to join Yadav's plan.

The chargesheet does not specify Yadav's occupation but lists his place of birth as Pranpura in Haryana , which is also mentioned in the DOJ documents.

Yadav Granted Bail on March 22, 2024

As per sources in Tihar Jail, Yadav was lodged in central jail number 1 on December 23. However, three monts later, on March 22, he was granted interim bail on the ground of illness of his one-year-old daughter. In the order, the Additional Sessions Judge at Patiala House Courts stated, "This is the bail application moved on behalf of Yadav for grant of interim bail on the ground of illness of his one-year-old daughter. It is submitted that the daughter of the
applicant/accused is suffering from acute respiratory infection and she is under treatment. That the accused is an ex-government employee and having clean antecedents. That the investigation qua the applicant/accused is already complete and chargesheet has already been filed. It is prayed that the accused may kindly be enlarged on bail."

"No apprehension of threat to any witness is expressed on behalf of the state. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case and submissions made, a lenient view is taken. Yadav is admitted to interim bail for a pe- riod of six days till March 28, on his furnishing bail bond in the sum of Rs 30,000 with one surety," the order states.

However, on April 22, Yadav walked out of Tihar jail on regular bail.

Born in 1984 in Haryana , Yadav is an Indian national based in India and used "Amanat" as an alias when communicating with his co-conspirator, another Indian national, to facilitate the murder plot, according to the information mentioned on the wanted poster released by FBI.

In a statement, the US Justice Department said, "Yadav is charged in a second superseding indictment unsealed today 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."

FBI Director Christopher Wray has claimed that the defendant, an “Indian government employee”, allegedly conspired with a criminal associate and attempted to assassinate an American citizen on US soil for exercising their First Amendment rights. Wray further said, “The FBI will not tolerate acts of violence or other efforts to retaliate against those residing in the US for exercising their constitutionally protected rights. We are committed to working with our partners to detect, disrupt, and hold accountable foreign nationals or others who seek to engage in such acts of transnational repression.”

Pannun Assassination Plot

In November last year, US federal prosecutors charged Indian national Nikhil Gupta with working with an Indian government employee in the foiled plot to kill Pannun in New York. Pannun, wanted in India on terror charges, holds dual citizenship of the US and Canada.

Gupta, who was arrested in the Czech Republic in June last year, was extradited to the US on June 14.

The US has consistently pressed India for updates on the Indian investigation into the alleged foiled plot to kill Pannun and made it clear that it seeks accountability in the case, a senior Biden administration official had said in June.