INDIA NEWS

Pannun murder plot: India seeks action against former spy

Thursday, 16 Jan, 2025

New Delhi: A high-powered committee set up by the Union government to examine activities of criminals and terrorist groups working against US and Indian interests has in its report recommended legal action against an individual, who is identified as ‘CC-1’ in an indictment filed in New York City, for his alleged involvement in a foiled plot to assassinate Khalistani separatist Gurupatwant Singh Pannun, who is holding dual citizenship of the US and Canada.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), while confirming the submission of the report, in a statement said that the enquiry committee was formed in 2023 to probe the individual’s links with the drug mafia and criminal gangs after allegations surfaced that a plot was hatched to disturb American security interest in 2023.

The MHA in the statement said, “After a long enquiry, the Committee has recommended legal action against an individual, whose earlier criminal links and antecedents also came to notice during the enquiry.” According to sources, the individual referred to as 'CC-1' in the report was later identified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as Vikash Yadav.

Yadav had earlier worked with India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), but the Government of India had said ‘CC-1’ was no longer its employee. The MHA further said that the high-powered panel has also recommended that the legal action against the individual must be completed expeditiously.

The whereabouts of Vikash Yadav are unknown. The Washington Post, citing American officials, has reported that Vikash Yadav is in India. The US has accused Vikash Yadav of directing another Indian citizen, identified as Nikhil Gupta, to employ a hitman to murder Pannun.