New Delhi: The case of Vikash Yadav, the former Indian government employee accused of being involved in a foiled assassination plot against pro-Khalistani leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US, has taken a dramatic turn. While Yadav was named by the US Department of Justice in November 2023 and charged with “murder-for-hire” and money laundering, he was arrested in India just weeks later on unrelated charges of extortion.
According to The Indian Express report, Yadav, who was employed by India’s cabinet secretariat, was arrested by the Delhi Police’s Special Cell in December 2023 following an FIR filed by a Rohini resident. The complainant accused Yadav of extortion and kidnapping, alleging his connection to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.
The complainant stated that Yadav, who was introduced as a senior government official, showed interest in his friends who resided abroad and enquired about his financial dealings. Yadav allegedly confessed to police that he was motivated by financial hardship and decided to extort the complainant, with the help of an associate, a car dealer facing business losses, Indian Express reported.
Yadav’s arrest comes just weeks after the US Justice Department indicted him in connection with the alleged assassination plot against Pannun. The accusation declared that Yadav, as a former Indian government employee, was allegedly instrumental in directing the plot, adding a significant international dimension to the case.
The Indian government confirmed that Yadav is no longer employed by the government. The details of his alleged extortion scheme and its link to Lawrence Bishnoi, a notorious gangster, further highlight the complexities of the case.
The investigation into Yadav’s activities is ongoing, and authorities in both India and the US are likely to collaborate to gather evidence and determine the full extent of his alleged involvement in both the assassination plot and the extortion case.
