Indian government officer implicated in plot to assassinate Pannun, according to US media report

April 30
Vikram Yadav has been identified as the government official who was previously nameless but was suspected of being involved in a failed conspiracy to assassinate pro-Khalistan lawyer Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the United States. According to a Washington Post (WaPo) investigation, an officer named "CC-1" in a US indictment that was released in November 2023 was actually Yadav, an employee of the Research and Analysis Wing, an Indian government body.

His New York address was among the "details about the target" that 'CC-1' was accused of providing in the indictment. There was earlier evidence that this scheme was associated with the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. The allegations that senior Indian officials, including former RAW chief Samant Goel, were involved in the murder plot were further illuminated by the WaPo investigation.

The article claims that Goel was allegedly under tremendous strain to deal with foreign Sikh extremist threats as the assassination plot was underway. While proof of Ajit Doval's involvement is hard to come by, the article implies that the national security adviser was either aware of or gave his approval to RAW's activities.

Goel, as head of RAW, would not likely carry out such operations without Doval's approval, according to former Indian officials quoted in the article. Nonetheless, these claims remain unanswered by the Indian government. Pannun is a designated terrorist by the Indian home ministry; he is the general lawyer for the New York-based organisation Sikhs for Justice.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) recruit 'Yadav' was allegedly unprepared for the complex operation against US counterintelligence capabilities, according to the report. The plot fell apart when Nikhil Gupta, the hired middleman, accidentally recruited an undercover US police officer. 'Yadav' was shifted to the CRPF when rumours of internal strife within RAW spread after the mission's failure.

Details about the make-up of the group and its investigation into the US accusations are unknown, but India has appointed a high-level committee to look into the matter.

In light of the new information, the Biden administration has called for patience while putting pressure on India to bring the plotters to justice. Reportedly, White House officials notified India about the anticipated publication of the Washington Post, stressing the urgency of immediate action. Reiterating the significance of holding those responsible to account, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller emphasised the need for a comprehensive inquiry.