Vikash Yadav Arrested in Extortion Case After Being Linked To Pannun Murder Bid - Report

Vikash Yadav, accused of plotting to kill pro-Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, was arrested by Delhi Police in an extortion case last December, The Indian Express reported.

This arrest came shortly after US Department of Justice documents identified him as "CC-1" in a murder plot. Yadav was released on bail in April, but the FBI's New York office has now listed him as wanted for "murder-for-hire" and money laundering.

A Rohini resident filed an FIR against Yadav on December 18, 2023, accusing him of extortion and kidnapping. The complainant alleged that Yadav posed as a senior government official and later claimed to be an undercover agent. They met through mutual friends, and Yadav showed interest in the complainant's overseas contacts and financial dealings, the report said.

The complainant recounted that on December 11, Yadav arranged a meeting under the pretext of discussing a serious matter related to his life. They met at Lodhi Road, where Yadav and an accomplice allegedly abducted him. He was taken to a flat near Defence Colony and informed that gangster Lawrence Bishnoi had ordered his elimination at the behest of someone in Dubai.

Yadav's associate reportedly hit the complainant on the head and took his gold chain and rings. They also visited his café to take cash before dropping him off with threats not to approach authorities. The police arrested Yadav and his accomplice the next day.

The chargesheet filed on March 13 lists several charges against Yadav, including attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy, abduction, threatening, wrongful confinement, poisoning, and violations under the Arms Act. A senior police officer told the publication that Yadav disclosed during interrogation that he planned to kidnap the complainant for money after meeting him at a social event.

Yadav's associate admitted joining the plan due to financial losses in his car dealership business. The chargesheet does not specify Yadav's occupation but notes Pranpura, Haryana as his birthplace—consistent with DoJ documents.

Yadav was lodged in Tihar Jail on December 23 but received interim bail on March 22 due to his daughter's illness. The Additional Sessions Judge noted that he had clean antecedents as an ex-government employee and granted bail since the investigation was complete with no threat expressed towards witnesses.

He secured regular bail on April 22. Despite being out of jail, the complainant remains fearful after being kidnapped by Yadav and his accomplice last year. "They extorted money from me… I am still scared," he told The Indian Express.

Yadav, 39, a former officer in India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), is facing serious charges from the US Department of Justice, including murder-for-hire and money laundering. The indictment alleges that Yadav coordinated the assassination plot from abroad, seeking to eliminate Pannun, who resides in the US. The plot, however, was thwarted, and Yadav remains at large.

Prosecutors claim that Yadav, who was employed by India's Cabinet Secretariat, used his position within RAW to recruit and direct individuals to carry out the hit on Pannun. According to the indictment, Yadav conspired with a criminal associate, Nikhil Gupta, who was arrested in the Czech Republic last year and later extradited to the US, where he is currently in custody.

The FBI has shared a few photos of him on its official website with the below description:

"Vikas Yadav is wanted for allegedly directing a plot to assassinate a United States lawyer and political activist of Indian origin on United States soil. 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.

Yadav allegedly provided information, such as the victim's residential addresses, phone numbers, and other identifying information, to the Indian national in furtherance of the plot. Yadav and his co-conspirator arranged for an associate to deliver $15,000 in cash in New York, New York, as an advance payment for the murder.

A federal arrest warrant was issued for Yadav in the United States District Court, Southern District of New York, New York, New York, on October 10, 2024, after he was charged with Murder-For-Hire, Conspiracy to Commit Murder-For-Hire, and Money Laundering Conspiracy."