Ex-RAW official declared 'wanted' by FBI in Pannun murder plot

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has released a wanted poster for former Indian government employee, Vikash Yadav, in connection with his alleged role in a foiled plot to assassinate Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil

"The US State Department informed us that the individual in the Justice Department indictment is no longer employed by India. I confirm that he is no longer an employee of the Government of India," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a press conference.

Born in 1984 in Haryana, Yadav is an Indian national based in India and used "Amanat" as an alias when communicating with his co-conspirator, another Indian national, to facilitate the murder plot, according to the information mentioned on the wanted poster released by FBI.

The US Justice Department on Thursday charged Yadav for his role in the assassination plot.

Yadav faces murder-for-hire and money laundering charges in connection with his role in directing a foiled plot to kill Pannun.

He “remains at large”, the Department of Justice said.

Yadav had been identified only as “CC-1” (co-conspirator) in the first indictment.

On Thursday in New Delhi, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, responding to a query on the person identified in the indictment of the US Department of Justice (DoJ) in connection with the case, confirmed that the person is "no longer an employee of the government of India”.

His co-conspirator Nikhil Gupta was arrested in the Czech Republic last year and is languishing in a US jail after extradition.

FBI Director Christopher Wray has claimed that Yadav allegedly conspired with a criminal associate and attempted to assassinate an American citizen on US soil for exercising their First Amendment rights.

"The FBI will not tolerate acts of violence or other efforts to retaliate against those residing in the U.S. for exercising their constitutionally protected rights. We are committed to working with our partners to detect, disrupt, and hold accountable foreign nationals or others who seek to engage in such acts of transnational repression," Wray said.

The Indian government has denied its association or involvement with such a plot to kill an American national on US soil. Following allegations by the US, New Delhi had set up an inquiry committee to investigate the matter.

The US has expressed satisfaction on cooperation from India on this.