Vikash Yadav, whom the FBI is seeking for his alleged involvement in a plot to assassinate US citizen and Khalistani leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, was previously arrested by the Delhi Police’s Anti-Terror Wing Special Cell on charges of extortion. Yadav, who had spent several months in Tihar Jail, is currently out on bail.
Yadav’s arrest last year stemmed from an extortion case filed by Raj Kumar Walia, a café owner in West Delhi’s Moti Nagar area. According to the FIR, Yadav posed as a government official with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and orchestrated Walia’s kidnapping with the help of an associate, Abdullah. Posing as an undercover agent, Yadav allegedly met Walia outside the NIA office in December last year, claiming there was a serious threat to his life.
When Walia, accompanied by a friend, arrived to meet Yadav, he was forcibly pushed into a car by Abdullah, tortured, and threatened. The FIR describes how Yadav and Abdullah extorted money in the name of notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. The complainant was beaten, administered injections, and coerced into signing blank cheques. The perpetrators also stole Rs 50,000 from Walia’s café and deleted its CCTV footage before releasing him.
Authorities first learned of Yadav’s “wanted” status through news reports. Sources revealed that Yadav met Walia through a common friend at a party last year. Yadav, who goes by the aliases ‘Vikas’ and ‘Amanat’, disclosed to the police that his father had served with the Border Security Force (BSF) before his death in 2007, and that Yadav himself had joined the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) as an assistant commandant, commanding a 135-member unit.
Yadav had also been employed by India’s Cabinet Secretariat, which houses the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), the country’s external intelligence agency. According to a US indictment, Yadav described his role as a “senior field officer” responsible for security management and intelligence.
The FBI’s indictment against Yadav outlines his alleged role in the conspiracy to kill Khalistani separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, heightening scrutiny over his connections and activities. The case continues to develop, with Yadav’s criminal background and affiliations raising serious concerns.
