The US Justice Department on Thursday (local time) announced the filing of murder-for-hire and money laundering charges against a former Indian government employee, Vikash Yadav, in connection with his alleged role in directing a foiled plot to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who is a US citizen. In a statement, the US Justice Department said, "Yadav is charged in a second superseding indictment unsealed today in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. Yadav's alleged co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, 53, was previously charged and extradited to the United States on the charges contained in the first superseding indictment.
Yadav remains at large." Attorney General Merrick B Garland has expressed the US Justice Department's commitment to hold accountable any person who seeks to harm American citizens. "The Justice Department will be relentless in holding accountable any person -- regardless of their position or proximity to power -- who seeks to harm and silence American citizens," Merrick B Garland said.
Garland further said that the US has foiled an attempt by Vikash Yadav and his co-conspirator Nikhil Gupta to assassinate an American citizen on US soil. "As alleged, last year, we foiled an attempt by Vikash Yadav, an Indian government employee, and his co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, to assassinate an American citizen on US soil. Today's charges demonstrate that the Justice Department will not tolerate attempts to target and endange.