India ex-official charged in US murder plot was arrested in New Delhi murder case

A former Indian government official charged in the United States this week for allegedly directing a foiled murder plot, was arrested in New Delhi in December in an attempted murder case, according to court records and a police officer.

The US Justice Department unsealed the indictment of Vikash Yadav, 39, on Thursday, alleging he led a plot to murder a Sikh separatist in New York.

From May 2023, the US indictment alleges Yadav, described as an Indian government employee at the time, worked with others in India and abroad to direct a plot to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a dual US-Canadian citizen.

Delhi Police had arrested Yadav on December 18 in the Indian capital, according to a police officer who only spoke on condition of anonymity. Yadav and an associate were charged with attempted murder and other crimes, according to a filing in a Delhi District Court.

Yadav’s lawyer, R.K. Handoo, called the Indian charges “fallacious”, adding there was “an international plot to bring shame on the government of India and my client”.

Handoo declined to comment further.