US says Indian gov’t official hired hitman in New York assassination plot

Oct 18, 2024

Karah Rucker Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Reporter), Alex Delia (Producer), Jack Henry (Video Editor)

U.S. prosecutors have named an Indian state employee in a plot to assassinate a U.S.-based Sikh separatist leader advocating for Punjab’s independence. Vikash Yadav, the accused mastermind, remains at large while his alleged associate, Nikhil Gupta, was arrested and extradited to the U.S. earlier this year.

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According to court documents, Yadav recruited Gupta to hire a hitman to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a New York-based leader of the Khalistan movement, which seeks a separate Sikh state.

Canada and India have both expelled diplomats over accusations that Indian officials plotted and killed Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023. — Getty Images

Gupta allegedly offered $100,000 for the killing and contacted an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration informant posing as a hitman in 2023.

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The murder was initially delayed to avoid overshadowing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s U.S. state visit. Days before Modi’s visit, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a colleague of Pannun, was killed in Canada, further escalating tensions between India and Western nations.

Both Yadav and Gupta face charges of murder-for-hire, conspiracy, and money laundering, with Gupta pleading not guilty. The U.S. Justice Department and FBI have vowed to hold accountable anyone threatening U.S. citizens, while India has denied involvement in the plot.

Canadian authorities have linked India to Nijjar’s murder, leading to a diplomatic dispute in which both countries expelled diplomats. The situation raises concerns about the growing use of transnational repression by governments to silence dissidents abroad.

Tags: Assassination, India, Narendra Modi, New York, New York City

[Karah Rucker]

A SHOCKING INTERNATIONAL PLOT TO ASSASSINATE A PROMINENT SIKH SEPARATIST LEADER ON AMERICAN SOIL HAS BEEN UNCOVERED. U.S. AUTHORITIES CHARGED TWO MEN IN CONNECTION WITH THE SCHEME, ONE OF WHOM IS STILL AT LARGE.

AUTHORITIES IN NEW YORK SAY VIKASH YADAV, AN INDIAN STATE EMPLOYEE, HIRED A HITMAN TO KILL GURPATWANT PANNUN, A U.S. BASED LEADER OF THE KHALISTAN MOVEMENT, WHICH ADVOCATES FOR A SEPARATE SIKH STATE IN INDIA.

INVESTIGATORS ALLEGE YADAV, WHO REMAINS AT LARGE, RECRUITED 53-YEAR OLD ARMS DEALER AND DRUG TRAFFICKER NIKHIL GUPTA TO ORGANIZE THE HIT, OFFERING $100,000 FOR THE MURDER.

GUPTA MADE CONTACT WITH AN UNDERCOVER DEA AGENT, BELIEVING HE WAS HIRING A PROFESSIONAL KILLER… LEADING TO HIS ARREST.

ACCORDING TO COURT DOCUMENTS, GUPTA KEPT YADAV INFORMED OF THE TARGET’S WHEREABOUTS AND MOVEMENTS. THE ASSASSINATION WAS INITIALLY DELAYED TO AVOID ANY EMBARRASSMENT DURING INDIAN PRIME MINISTER MODI’S STATE VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES LAST YEAR.

THIS PLOT, HOWEVER, IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. JUST DAYS BEFORE MODI’S ARRIVAL IN WASHINGTON, HARDEEP SING NIJJAR, ANOTHER SIKH SEPARATIST LEADER AND CLOSE COLLEAGUE OF PANNUN, WAS MURDERED OUTSIDE A CULTURAL CENTER IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU ACCUSED INDIA OF ORCHESTRATING THAT ASSASSINATION, LEADING TO A DIPLOMATIC STANDOFF BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS.

CANADA EXPELLED SIX INDIAN DIPLOMATS IN RESPONSE TO THE NIJJAR KILLING, AND INDIA RETALIATED BY EXPELLING SIX CANADIAN DIPLOMATS. THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT HAS REPEATEDLY DENIED ANY INVOLVEMENT IN THESE ATTACKS.

PANNUN THANKED THE U-S GOVERNMENT FOR ITS PROTECTION BUT WARNED THAT INDIA’S ACTIONS REPRESENT A GROWING THREAT TO GLOBAL DEMOCRACY. HE CALLED THE PLOT AGAINST HIM ‘A BLATANT CASE OF TRANSNATIONAL TERRORISM.’

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS… I’M KARAH RUCKER.