Chandigarh, 18 October, 2024: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued a lookout notice for Vikash Yadav, a former Indian police officer, in connection with an alleged plot to assassinate Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Yadav, also known by the alias “Amanat,” is accused of orchestrating a murder-for-hire scheme, along with conspiracy and money laundering.
According to the FBI, Yadav is an Indian national based in India and communicated with his alleged co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, another Indian national. In their correspondence, Yadav is said to have provided crucial information about Pannun, including the victim’s residential addresses, phone numbers, and other identifying details. The FBI noted that Yadav and Gupta arranged for an associate to deliver an advance payment of $15,000 in cash to New York as part of the murder plot.
A federal arrest warrant for Yadav was issued on October 10 by the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, charging him with “murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and money laundering conspiracy.” The U.S. Department of Justice confirmed the charges against Yadav, 39, stating that his involvement was pivotal in directing the failed assassination attempt on Pannun.
In earlier reports, U.S. media, citing Department of Justice documents, mistakenly identified Yadav as “Vikram Yadav,” but the official charges have clarified his name as Vikash Yadav. Previously, he was associated with the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) and originally served in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is a prominent Sikh separatist leader and co-founder of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), an organization advocating for Khalistan, a proposed independent Sikh state in Punjab, India. Based primarily in North America, Pannun has been a vocal advocate for Sikh rights and self-determination, organizing rallies and campaigns within the Sikh diaspora. He has faced legal challenges from the Indian government, including charges of sedition, due to his activism and calls for Khalistan.
