A high-powered enquiry committee set up by the Government has recommended legal action against former RAW officer Vikash Yadav, who was named by FBI for engaging persons, caught for attempt to murder Khalistani separatist and designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York in 2023. However the official statement did not name him. The statement issued by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said after a long enquiry, the committee has recommended legal action against “an individual, whose earlier criminal links and antecedents also came to notice during the enquiry”.
The probe was ordered after the US alleged there was an attempt to kill Khalistani separatist Pannun by Indian agents in New York in 2023. US already arrested Nikhil Gupta and facing charges for attempts to murder Pannun, who has dual citizenship of America and Canada. Pannun’s outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) is banned by MHA.
The MHA said on receipt of information provided by US authorities regarding activities of some organised criminal groups, terrorist organisations, drug peddlers, etc., who undermined the security interests of both India and the US, a high-powered enquiry committee was set up by the government of India in November 2023. The committee conducted its own investigations, and also pursued leads provided by the US side and it received full cooperation from US authorities and the two sides also exchanged visits.
It further examined a number of officials from different agencies and also scrutinised relevant documents in this connection. “After a long enquiry, the Committee has submitted its report to the Government and recommended legal action against an individual, whose earlier criminal links and antecedents also came to notice during the enquiry,” the statement said. The committee has recommended that the legal action must be completed expeditiously.
“The Committee has further recommended functional improvements in systems and procedures as also initiation of steps that could strengthen India’s response capability, ensure systematic controls and coordinated action in dealing with matters like this,” the statement said. While announcing the constitution of the high-powered committee in November 2023, the External Affairs Ministry had said it will look into all relevant aspects of the matter (security concerns raised by the US).
Earlier, the US said it had stopped a plot to kill a Sikh separatist and warned India about concerns about New Delhi’s involvement. The US said it was treating the plot with utmost seriousness and raised the issue with the Indian government “at the senior-most levels”.
In December 2023, Yadav was arrested by Delhi Police in a case of kidnapping and extortion lodged against him. He is currently on bail in this case.
In the case related to the attempt to kill Pannun, Indian national Nikhil Gupta was arrested in Prague in 2023 and later extradited to the US from the Czech Republic. Gupta was arrested at the request of the US government on charges of being involved in a plot to kill Pannun. Canada had also claimed the presence of “credible” accusations connecting Indian operatives to the June killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in a Vancouver suburb.
