A ‘Washington Post’ report just recently named Vikram Yadav, an R&AW agent, as the main accused behind the murder plot on Khalistan leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, find out more about his biography and the incident below
According to the same report, RA&W’s then chief, Samant Goel, sanctioned the entire operation.
Who is Vikram Yadav of the CRPF RAW agent accused of plotting assassination attempt on Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, biography and career
🚨 Monitoring — #Indian intelligence operative Vikram Yadav, acting on orders from intelligence chief Samant Goel, orchestrated an assassination plot against Sikh leader @SFJGenCounsel in the United States.
🔺The CIA believes that #India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval… pic.twitter.com/7jjpFLpOhL
— The Intel Consortium (@IntelPk_) April 29, 2024
Washington Post reports that Indian spy VIKRAM YADAV directed assassination plots against Gurupatwant Singh Pannu in the U.S. & Canada on orders from intel chief Samant Goel. CIA assesses NSA Doval likely knew about the operation, possibly Modi too.
India stalls probe, refusing… pic.twitter.com/Asn0Pk23p6
— Avg Yādavābhīra Researcher & Enthusiast (@YADAVPILLED) April 30, 2024
Interestingly, reports state that the attempted assassination on Pannun is “part of an escalating campaign of aggression by R&AW against Indian nationals living across Asia, Europe, and North America.
Vikram Yadav
Vikram Yadav is a Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) agent who was recently accused of plotting the attempted assassination on Khalistan leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. According to the report, Yadav joined the R&AW midcareer from India’s Central Reserve Police Force. Notably, the same report stated that the assassination attempt may have failed because Yadav lacked the proper training and skills to carry out such an operation. Moreover, according to Indian official reports, Yadav has rejoined the CRPF after the operation failed.
Vikram Yadav accused of plotting assassination attempt on Gurpatwant Singh Pannun
Just last year, US authorities stated in its indictment that an Indian national named Nikhil Gupta, attempted to assassinate attorney and political activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who is a US citizen, on the orders of an Indian official, named as CC-1.
While Nikhil Gupta is currently locked up in a prison in Prague following his arrest, the Washington Post has now come out to report that Yadav, an R&AW agent, was the mastermind behind the attempted assassination. According to the report, Yadav forwarded the details about the target, including his New York address. According to the report, Yadav and Gupta, exchanged several encrypted messages while hatching a plan to assassinate Pannun.
Vikram Yadav allegedly received approval from superiors
According to the same report by the Washington Post, while Yadav is the main accused of hatching the assassination plot, he had the approval of the then R&AW chief, Samant Goel. The report further adds that Modi’s national security adviser, Ajit Doval, was also aware of the RA&W’s plans.
Goel was reportedly under pressure from the Indian government to eliminate Sikh extremists overseas. Notably, Indian R&AW agents have increased surveillance of suspected Sikh extremist in recent years. It stated how several of these people have been arrested, expelled, or reprimanded in countries like Australia, Germany, and Britain. Moreover, other former Indian officials who knew Goel revealed that he would not have proceeded with assassination plots without the approval of his superiors.
Interestingly, Goel has a longstanding history with Sikh extremism abroad. Back in 2014 and 2015, he served as R&AW’s station chief in London. During those years, Britain’s MI5 issued warnings against Goel about R&AW’s surveillance and harassment of Sikhs. But Goel accused MI5 of being soft on Sikh activists and stated that they should consider them terrorists. As of now, neither Goel nor Doval have responded to any of the claims that the Washington Post made.