Former Indian Intelligence Officer Charged by U.S. for Alleged Assassination Plot in NYC
The United States has brought charges against former Indian intelligence officer Vikash Yadav for allegedly directing a failed plot to murder Sikh separatist and Indian critic Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York City. The FBI issued a warning against any retaliation targeting a U.S. resident.
The U.S. Justice Department unsealed the indictment, identifying Yadav as a former officer in India’s Research and Analysis Wing spy service. The indictment alleged that Yadav, along with others in India and abroad, orchestrated a plot against Pannun, an activist advocating for a separate Sikh homeland.
The FBI emphasized its zero tolerance for violence against individuals exercising their rights in the U.S. The case also sheds light on India’s labeling of Sikh separatists as terrorists and the demand for a separate homeland called Khalistan. The U.S. plans to seek Yadav’s extradition from India.
In a related development, Canada expelled Indian diplomats over the 2023 murder of another Sikh separatist leader. The accusations have strained relations between Western countries and India, traditionally seen as a bulwark against China.
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