Former Indian Intelligence Official Charged by US Over Plot to Kill Khalistani Terrorist Pannun

Washington: The United States Justice Department on Thursday announced that it has charged a former Indian intelligence official- identified as Vikas Yadav for his alleged role in directing a foiled assassination plot of Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

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."

This development comes as the US said that India has informed that the person referred to as "CC1" in the US Department of Justice (DOJ) indictment in connection with the case was "no longer an employee of the government of India," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said this during a press briefing here.

India Takes US Inputs 'Seriously' On Alleged Plot To Kill Pannun

Following the allegations by the US, India appointed a high-level inquiry committee to look into the inputs provided by the US on the plot.

"These are members of a high-level inquiry committee that had been set up in November 2023 to look into the inputs that had been shared with us by the US, and we have taken these inputs very seriously...we remain engaged with the US side on this particular matter," Jaiswal said.

The US earlier said the Indian government had expressed seriousness in dealing with the allegations of the plot to kill Pannun.

A team of Indian officials had a meeting recently with the officials of the State Department and Department of Justice in Washington, where the latter expressed satisfaction with New Delhi's cooperation.

US State Department Spokesperson Mathew Miller said, "...It was a productive meeting. They did inform us that the individual who was named in the Justice Department indictment is no longer an employee of the Indian government. We are satisfied with the cooperation. It continues to be an ongoing process. We continue to work with them on that, but we do appreciate the cooperation and we appreciate them updating us on their investigation as we update them on ours."

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.

(Inputs from ANI, PTI)