Fri Oct 18 07:10:00 UTC 2024: ## US Charges Former Indian Intelligence Officer in Failed Assassination Plot, Linking Him to Khalistani Leader’s Murder
**New York, USA** – In a significant development, US prosecutors have charged Vikash Yadav, a former Indian intelligence officer, with murder-for-hire and money laundering in connection with a failed plot to kill Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. This revelation comes amid escalating tensions between India and Canada over the murder of another Khalistani leader, Hardeep Nijjar, in Canada earlier this year.
The US indictment alleges that Yadav, using the alias “Amanat,” conspired with his co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, to carry out the assassination attempt. The indictment further claims that Yadav, identified as “CC-1” in previous US intelligence, shared a video of Nijjar’s body with Gupta just hours after Nijjar was shot dead in Surrey, Canada, on June 18th.
While the US has not yet released the full indictment, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged possession of intelligence suggesting Indian officials’ involvement in Nijjar’s murder. This intelligence may be linked to the US indictment, raising questions about the extent of India’s involvement in the Nijjar case.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs has stated that Yadav is no longer employed by the Indian government. However, Canada has yet to provide concrete proof of its allegations against India, fueling further tension between the two nations.
The India-Canada relationship has been strained since Canada accused Indian diplomats of being persons of interest in the Nijjar investigation. India responded by withdrawing the diplomats and expelling six Canadian diplomats in retaliation.
This latest development adds another layer of complexity to the already strained relationship between India and Canada, raising concerns about potential security implications and further impacting diplomatic ties.
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