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An Indian authorities official accused of directing a foiled plot to homicide a Sikh separatist chief dwelling in New York Metropolis has been charged, federal prosecutors mentioned Thursday.
Vikash Yadav, 39, also referred to as Vikas and Amanat, is a former officer in India’s Analysis and Evaluation Wing spy service and stays at-large, based on an unsealed indictment.
Authorities allege he directed the plot from India.
“The defendant, an Indian authorities worker, allegedly conspired with a prison affiliate and tried to assassinate a U.S. citizen on American soil for exercising their First Modification rights,” mentioned FBI Director Christopher Wray.
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Vikash Yadav, 39, allegedly directed a plot to kill a Sikh separatist chief in New York Metropolis, the Justice Division mentioned. (Justice Division)
Fox Information Digital has reached out to the Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C., for touch upon the fees.
The Justice Division mentioned Yadav and different Indian brokers plotted to have Sikh separatist chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun killed in a murder-for-hire scheme.
Pannun has been a vocal critic of the Indian authorities and heads a U.S.-based group that advocates for the secession of Punjab, a northern Indian state with a big Sikh inhabitants. India has labeled Sikh separatists “terrorists” who pose threats to its safety.
Yadav’s alleged co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, 52, was beforehand charged and extradited to the USA in June after his arrest in Prague. Yadav allegedly recruited Gupta in Could 2023 to orchestrate the killing.
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Nikhil Gupta, 52, an Indian citizen, is accused of making an attempt to pay for the homicide of a Sikh separatist chief in New York Metropolis. (Reuters)
Each males have been charged with homicide for rent, conspiracy to commit homicide for rent and conspiracy to commit cash laundering.
Whereas placing the plan in movement, Gupta spoke with a confidential supply working for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) whom he believed would introduce him to a hitman, federal prosecutors mentioned.
In actuality, the purported hitman was an undercover DEA agent. Gupta urged him to commit the homicide as quickly as attainable however not across the similar time as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official state go to to the U.S., which was scheduled round June 20, 2023.
Gupta allegedly instructed the undercover DEA agent Pannun’s loss of life might result in protests and “political issues,” referring to the geopolitical fallout if he was killed on U.S. soil throughout Modi’s go to.
Two days earlier than Modi’s arrival within the U.S., masked gunmen murdered Hardeep Singh Nijjar, one other Sikh separatist, exterior a Sikh temple in British Columbia, Canada. Gupta allegedly instructed the undercover DEA agent Nijjar “was additionally the goal” and that “we now have so many targets.”
“After that they’ve extra jobs,” he mentioned, referring to extra focused killings, prosecutors mentioned.
Across the time of Modi’s go to to the U.S., Yadav despatched Gupta a information article about Pannun and messaged Gupta, saying, “It’s [a] precedence now.” prosecutors mentioned.
Activists of the Dal Khalsa Sikh group, a pro-Khalistan group, stage an indication demanding justice for Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed in June 2023 close to Vancouver, after providing prayers at Akal Takht Sahib within the Golden Temple in Amritsar Sept. 29, 2023. (Narinder Nanu/AFP through Getty Pictures)
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In a press release, Pannun mentioned the indictment means the U.S. authorities has “reassured its dedication to basic constitutional responsibility to guard the life, liberty and freedom of expression of the U.S. citizen at house and overseas.”
“The try on my life on American Soil is the blatant case of India’s transnational terrorism which has develop into a problem to America’s sovereignty and menace to freedom of speech and democracy, which unequivocally proves that India believes in utilizing bullets whereas pro-Khalistan Sikhs consider in ballots,” he added.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
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