Pannun massacre: US charges former Indian RAW officer with conspiracy to kill Sikh separatist leader

By News Update On Oct 18, 2024

The US Justice Department has accused Vikas Yadav, a former officer of India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), of conspiring to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a prominent Sikh separatist leader who advocated the creation of Khalistan.

Pannun, who holds dual US-Canadian citizenship, has been vocal for a separate Sikh homeland, which India has described as a serious security threat.
RAW officer accused of murder for hire and money laundering

According to a PTI report, Yadav faces three charges, including murder for hire and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He is accused of conspiring with co-conspirator Nikhil Gupta, who was arrested in Czechoslovakia last year and is currently in a US jail after extradition. However, according to the US Justice Department, Yadav “is still at large.”

Indian government denies involvement

The Indian government has denied any involvement in the assassination plot. Following the allegations, New Delhi constituted an inquiry committee to probe the matter.

According to the US State Department, cooperation between the two countries on this issue continues, and India has informed the US about its investigation. US officials have expressed satisfaction with the level of cooperation.

Indian officers no longer working in government

At a meeting between Indian and US officials, members of India's investigating committee were informed that Yadav was no longer an employee of the Indian government. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller described the meeting as “productive” and confirmed that both sides had briefed each other about their respective investigations.

murder conspiracy

The unsealed 18-page indictment contains detailed information about the murder conspiracy. It includes a photograph of Yadav in military fatigues and a photo of two men exchanging money in a car in New York, whom federal prosecutors have accused of paying for the planned murder. On June 9, 2023, an advance of $15,000 was reportedly paid for the assassination.

Relation to Modi's state visit to America

The conspiracy coincides with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to the US, scheduled for June 22, 2023. The indictment claims that Yadav instructed the hired killer not to carry out the murder during or just before the state visit.

Relation to Nijjar's murder in Canada

The indictment also reveals links between this conspiracy and the murder of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada during the same period. Communications between Yadav, Gupta and the alleged killer suggest coordination between the two incidents.