New Delhi:
A committee set up by the Union government has recommended that legal action be taken against a former Indian intelligence officer, identified as ‘CC-1’ in an indictment filed in New York City, for allegedly orchestrating a foiled plot to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Gurupatwant Singh Pannun, who is a dual US-Canadian citizen.
The enquiry committee was formed to probe the individual’s links with the drug mafia and criminal gangs after allegations surfaced that a plot was hatched to kill Pannun in the US in 2023.
“After a long enquiry, the Committee has submitted its report to the Government and recommended legal action against an individual, whose earlier criminal links and antecedents also came to notice during the enquiry,” the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement.
The individual known as ‘CC-1’ was later identified by the FBI as Vikash Yadav, a former Research and Analysis Wing officer. The Government of India had said ‘CC-1’ was no longer employed by it.
The Home Ministry said the committee has recommended that the legal action against the individual must be completed expeditiously.
“The Enquiry Committee conducted its own investigations and also pursued leads provided by the US side. It received full cooperation from US authorities and the two sides also exchanged visits. The Committee further examined a number of officials from different agencies and also scrutinised relevant documents in this connection,” it said.
“The Committee has further recommended functional improvements in systems and procedures as also initiation of steps that could strengthen India’s response capability, ensure systematic controls and coordinated action in dealing with matters like this,” it added.
Murder-For-Hire
The US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York had said that it had registered “murder-for-hire and money laundering charges” against Vikash Yadav for trying to kill Pannun. The FBI also accused Indian agents of involvement in the assassination attempt.
“The FBI will not tolerate acts of violence or other efforts to retaliate against those residing in the US for exercising their constitutionally protected rights,” then FBI director Christopher Wray had said.
Mr Yadav is accused of recruiting an Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, in May 2023 to execute the assassination. Mr Gupta was arrested in Prague in June that year, after travelling from India, and was subsequently extradited to the US, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Mr Yadav and Mr Gupta allegedly contracted an individual to carry out the killing for $100,000. The FBI later discovered that the hired assassin was an informant for the agency who was working undercover.
