Was also aware of plot to kill Hardeep Singh Nijjar: US in its indictment

The US Department of Justice has, in its indictment against former Indian police official Vikash Yadav and another person, Nikhil Gupta, alleged that Yadav was aware of the killing of pro-Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada in June last year.

Gupta (53) had earlier been charged and extradited to the US for being a “co-conspirator” with Yadav in an alleged plot to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a leader of the banned Sikhs for Justice who has been designated as a terrorist by India.

According to the indictment, Gupta contacted an individual who he believed was a criminal associate but, in fact, was a confidential source (named ‘CS’ in indictment) working with a US law enforcement agency. Gupta had sought to hire a hitman to kill Pannun. ‘CS’ introduced Gupta to a purported hitman who, in turn, was an undercover US law enforcement officer (named ‘UC’ in indictment). The indictment alleged Gupta told ‘CS’ and ‘UC’ that his Indian co-conspirators directing the (Pannun) murder plot were also targeting other victims, including in Canada”. On June 18, 2023, masked gunmen shot Nijjar, a Pannun associate, outside a gurdwara in Surrey. “The same evening, Yadav sent Gupta a video clip showing Nijjar’s body kept in his (Nijjar’s) vehicle,” as per the indictment.

“Gupta forwarded the clip showing Nijjar’s body to ‘CS’ and ‘UC’, minutes after receiving it from Yadav. Later (on June 19), Gupta spoke to ‘UC’ via an audio call and told him that Nijjar was also the target,” the indictment alleged.