The family of Vikash Yadav, a former Indian government official indicted by the U.S. for allegedly participating in a plot to kill Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, has dismissed the charges as false. They assert that the U.S. government is not being truthful about the situation.
Yadav’s 65-year-old mother, Sudesh Yadav, expressed her shock at the media reports and questioned the credibility of the U.S. government’s claims, stating, “What can I say? I do not know whether the U.S. government is telling the truth or not. He has been working for the country.”
The U.S. authorities allege that Vikash Yadav solicited an Indian citizen named Nikhil Gupta to carry out the murder for financial compensation. Yadav’s relatives in Pranpura village, approximately 100 kilometers from Delhi, have firmly rejected these allegations. One cousin noted, “Where will so much money come from? Can you see any Audis and Mercedes lined up outside this house?”
Another relative mentioned that Yadav had previously told him that the media’s reports about his involvement in the alleged plot were inaccurate. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Yadav was charged with leading an unsuccessful assassination attempt against Pannun last year and was an official with India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).
Indian authorities have confirmed that Yadav is no longer a government employee. His family claims they are unaware of his current employment status or any involvement in a murder plot, with one cousin stating, “He never mentioned anything about it,” and adding, “For us, he is still working for the CRPF,” referring to him as a deputy commandant.
As for his whereabouts, Indian officials have not provided any information. Reports suggest that Yadav remains in India, and the U.S. is expected to pursue his extradition.
Another cousin, Amit Yadav, concluded, “Only the government of India and Vikash know what has happened,” emphasizing the uncertainty surrounding the case.