Less than three weeks after being mentioned as “CC-1” (co-conspirator) in US Department of Justice (DoJ) documents in November last year, Vikash Yadav, accused of plotting to kill pro-Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, was arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell in an extortion case, according to a report by The Indian Express.
Yadav’s arrest came after a complaint was lodged by a Rohini resident on December 17, 2023, accusing him of extortion and kidnapping. The complainant alleged that Yadav, posing as a senior government official, had shown a keen interest in his contacts with Indians living in West Asia. According to the complaint, Yadav introduced himself as an undercover agent involved in a sensitive operation for a central agency, though he never disclosed his official designation or office location. the report stated.
The complainant recounted that on December 11, 2023, Yadav called him for an urgent meeting. They met at Lodhi Road, where Yadav and an accomplice allegedly forced him into a vehicle and took him to a flat near Defence Colony. There, Yadav claimed that a “supari” (contract) had been issued for his life by gangster Lawrence Bishnoi on the orders of a Dubai-based individual. The complainant was allegedly robbed of his gold jewellery and cash, and later dropped off with threats of severe consequences if he approached the authorities.
The next day, Yadav and his associate were apprehended by the Delhi Police. The IE report noted that the chargesheet filed on March 13, 2024, lists charges under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy, abduction, and others.
During interrogation, Yadav reportedly revealed that his father, who had served in the Border Security Force, passed away in 2007, and that he got married in 2015. The chargesheet mentions that Yadav met the complainant at a social gathering and planned the kidnapping to extort money. His associate, facing financial difficulties in his car dealership business, joined Yadav’s scheme.
Court Noted Vikash Yadav’s ‘Ex-Government Employee’ Status During Bail Grant
After spending nearly four months in Tihar Jail, Yadav was granted interim bail on March 22, 2024, on the grounds of his one-year-old daughter’s illness. The bail order, issued by an Additional Sessions Judge at Patiala House Courts, noted, “This is the bail application moved on behalf of Yadav for grant of interim bail on the ground of illness of his one-year-old daughter. That the accused is an ex-government employee and having clean antecedents. That the investigation qua the applicant/accused is already complete and chargesheet has already been filed.”
“No apprehension of threat to any witness is expressed on behalf of the state. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case and submissions made, a lenient view is taken. Yadav is admitted to interim bail for a period of six days till March 28, on his furnishing bail bond in the sum of Rs 30,000 with one surety,” the order stated, as quoted by the report. Yadav was released on regular bail on April 22, 2024.
On Friday, Yadav was formally charged by the US DoJ with “murder-for-hire” and money laundering related to the alleged plot against Pannun. Responding to Yadav’s mention as an “Indian government employee” in the indictment, a spokesperson from the Ministry of External Affairs clarified on Thursday, 18 October 2024, that Yadav was “not part of the government of India set-up.”
Yadav’s arrest and subsequent release on bail gain significance as the FBI’s New York office recently placed him on its wanted list, seeking information about his whereabouts.