Ex-Raw Officer: FBI ने पूर्व रॉ अधिकारी को क्यों किया वांडेट घोषित? जानें, विकास यादव पर क्या आरोप

BY DEFENCE JOURNALIST SAHIL

FBI Wanted Vikas Yadav: इस मामले में भारत ने भी अपनी तरफ से जांच की और उससे अमेरिकी अधिकारी संतुष्ट नजर आए. हालांकि भारत ने आरोपों से इनकार किया.

Pannun Assassination Plot Case: भारत सरकार के पूर्व अधिकारी विकास यादव पर अमेरिकी अधिकारियों ने खालिस्तानी आतंकी गुरुपतवंत सिंह पन्नू की हत्या की साजिश में कथित भूमिका का आरोप लगाया है. आरोप है कि प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी की राजकीय यात्रा के दौरान अमेरिकी धरती पर पन्नू की हत्या की नाकाम साजिश रची गई.

अमेरिकी जस्टिस डिपार्टमेंट ने गुरुवार (17 अक्टूबर) को 39 साल के विकास यादव के खिलाफ आपराधिक आरोपों की घोषणा की. विकास यादव केंद्रीय सचिवालय में कार्यरत थे और यहीं भारतीय खुफिया एजेंसी रिसर्च एंड एनालिसिस विंग (रॉ) का मुख्यालय है.

विदेश मंत्रालय ने अमेरिका को दिया ये जवाब

विदेश मंत्रालय के प्रवक्ता रणधीर जायसवाल ने इस मामले के संबंध में अमेरिकी न्याय विभाग (डीओजे) के अभियोग में पहचाने गए व्यक्ति के बारे में पूछे गए सवाल का जवाब देते हुए पुष्टि की कि वह व्यक्ति “अब भारत सरकार का कर्मचारी नहीं है.” संघीय जांच ब्यूरो (एफबीआई) ने भी विकास यादव को अपने “वांछित” भगोड़ों की सूची में डाल दिया है.

जानिए कौन हैं विकास यादव और क्या हैं उनके खिलाफ आरोप?

1. विकास यादव पर खालिस्तानी आतंकी गुरपतवंत सिंह पन्नू की हत्या की नाकाम साजिश के संबंध में “भाड़े पर हत्या और धन शोधन” के आरोप हैं.

2. अमेरिका के जस्टिस डिपार्टमेंट के मुताबिक, वो अभी भी फरार चल रहे हैं. पहले अभियोग में विकास यादव की पहचान केवल “सीसी-1” (सह-साजिशकर्ता) के रूप में की गई थी.

3. एफबीआई निदेशक क्रिस्टोफर रे ने कहा, “आरोपी एक भारतीय सरकारी कर्मचारी है. उसने कथित तौर पर एक आपराधिक सहयोगी के साथ मिलकर साजिश रची और पहले संशोधन अधिकारों का प्रयोग करने पर अमेरिकी धरती पर एक अमेरिकी नागरिक की हत्या का प्रयास किया.”

4. जिस आपराधिक सहयोगी का उल्लेख किया गया है, वह निखिल गुप्ता नाम का शख्स है, जिसे चेक गणराज्य में गिरफ्तार किया गया था और गुरपतवंत सिंह पन्नू की हत्या की कथित साजिश में मुकदमा चलाने के लिए अमेरिका प्रत्यर्पित किया गया था. निखिल को पिछले साल गिरफ्तार किया गया था और वो अभी जेल में बंद है.

5. अमेरिकी अटॉर्नी जनरल मेरिक बी गारलैंड ने कहा, “आज के आरोप दर्शाते हैं कि न्याय विभाग अमेरिकियों को निशाना बनाने और उन्हें खतरे में डालने तथा प्रत्येक अमेरिकी नागरिक के अधिकारों को कमजोर करने के प्रयासों को बर्दाश्त नहीं करेगा.”

6. एफबीआई ने विकास यादव की तीन तस्वीरों के साथ एक ‘वांटेड’ पोस्टर भी जारी किया है. एफबीआई के मुताबिक, उनके खिलाफ गिरफ्तारी का वारंट 10 अक्टूबर को जारी किया गया था.

7. अभियोग के अनुसार विकास यादव को “विकास” और “अमानत” के नाम से भी जाना जाता है, इस मामले के संबंध में आरोपित होने वाला दूसरा व्यक्ति है.

8. अभियोग के मुताबिक, “विकास ने अपनी स्थिति को ‘वरिष्ठ फील्ड अधिकारी’ के रूप में मेंशन किया है, जिसकी ज़िम्मेदारियां ‘सुरक्षा प्रबंधन’ और ‘खुफिया’ हैं. उन्होंने पहले भारत के केंद्रीय रिजर्व पुलिस बल में भी काम किया है और ‘युद्ध शिल्प’ और ‘हथियारों’ में ‘अधिकारी प्रशिक्षण’ प्राप्त किया है. वो भारतीय नागरिक और निवासी हैं और भारत से पीड़ित की हत्या की साजिश रची.”

9. हालांकि, विकास यादव एक तस्वीर में सेना की वर्दी में दिख रहे हैं, लेकिन उस पर कोई रैंक एपॉलेट नहीं है. अमेरिकी अभियोग में कहा गया है कि वह मूल रूप से सीआरपीएफ से थे और एक “सहायक कमांडेंट” थे.

10. 18 पन्नों के अभियोग में न्यूयॉर्क में एक कार में दो व्यक्तियों की ओर से डॉलर का आदान-प्रदान करने की तस्वीर भी दी गई है, जिसके बारे में संघीय अभियोजकों ने कहा कि यह पैसा निखिल गुप्ता और विकास यादव की ओर से एक व्यक्ति ने न्यूयॉर्क में सिख अलगाववादी नेता की हत्या करने के लिए कथित हत्यारे को दिया था.

अभियोग में आरोप लगाया गया है कि विकास यादव ने अपने साथी निखिल गुप्ता के साथ मिलकर 2023 की गर्मियों में सिख अलगाववादी नेता की हत्या की साजिश रची थी. निखिल गुप्ता ने हत्या का काम करने के लिए एक शख्स को काम पर रखा था. अज्ञात व्यक्ति, जो एफबीआई का मुखबिर था, उसने इस काम के लिए 100,000 अमेरिकी डॉलर मांगे और 9 जून, 2023 को एडवांस पेमेंट के रूप में 15,000 अमेरिकी डॉलर लिए थे.

भारत ने क्या दिया जवाब

भारत सरकार ने अमेरिकी धरती पर किसी अमेरिकी नागरिक की हत्या की ऐसी किसी साजिश में अपनी संलिप्तता से इनकार किया है. अमेरिका के आरोपों के बाद नई दिल्ली ने मामले की जांच के लिए एक जांच समिति गठित की थी. अमेरिका ने इस मामले में भारत से मिले सहयोग पर संतोष जताया है.

FBI ने जारी किया अपना बयान

Vikash Yadav Directed Plot to Murder U.S.-Based Leader of Sikh Separatist Movement

The Justice Department today announced the filing of murder-for-hire and money laundering charges against Indian government employee, Vikash Yadav, 39, also known as Vikas, and Amanat, in connection with his role in directing a foiled plot to assassinate a U.S. citizen in New York City. Yadav is charged in a second superseding indictment unsealed today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Yadav’s alleged co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, 53, was previously charged and extradited to the United States on the charges contained in the first superseding indictment. Yadav remains at large.

“The Justice Department will be relentless in holding accountable any person — regardless of their position or proximity to power — who seeks to harm and silence American citizens,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As alleged, last year, we foiled an attempt by Vikash Yadav, an Indian government employee, and his co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, to assassinate an American citizen on U.S. soil.  Today’s charges demonstrate that the Justice Department will not tolerate attempts to target and endanger Americans and to undermine the rights to which every U.S. citizen is entitled.”

“The defendant, an Indian government employee, allegedly conspired with a criminal associate and attempted to assassinate a U.S. citizen on American soil for exercising their First Amendment rights,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI will not tolerate acts of violence or other efforts to retaliate against those residing in the U.S. for exercising their constitutionally protected rights. We are committed to working with our partners to detect, disrupt, and hold accountable foreign nationals or others who seek to engage in such acts of transnational repression.”

“Today’s charges are a grave example of the increase in lethal plotting and other forms of violent transnational repression targeting diaspora communities in the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “To the governments around the world who may be considering such criminal activity and to the communities they would target, let there be no doubt that the Department of Justice is committed to disrupting and exposing these plots and to holding the wrongful actors accountable no matter who they are or where they reside.”

“DEA foiled this assassination attempt last year and has continued to trace this case back to an employee of the Indian government whom we charge was an orchestrator of this intricate murder-for-hire scheme. DEA did not relent, and today’s indictment names Vikash Yadav as an alleged mastermind,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “We charge that Yadav, an employee of the Indian government, used his position of authority and access to confidential information to direct the attempted assassination of an outspoken critic of the Indian government here on U.S. soil. This case was led by the DEA New York Division’s Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is comprised of DEA, the New York State Police, and the New York City Police Department, and is a true testament to the tenacity and determination of our team.”

“Last year, this office charged Nikhil Gupta for conspiring to assassinate a U.S. citizen of Indian origin on U.S. soil,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams. “But, as alleged, Gupta did not work alone. Today, we announce charges against an Indian government employee, Vikash Yadav, who orchestrated the plot from India and directed Gupta to hire a hitman to murder the victim. The right to exercise free speech is foundational to our democracy, and predicated on the notion that we can do so without fear of violence or reprisal, including from beyond our borders. Let this case be a warning to all those who would seek to harm and silence U.S. citizens: we will hold you accountable, no matter who and where you are.” 

As alleged in the second superseding indictment and other public court documents, in 2023, Yadav, working together with others, including Gupta, in India, and elsewhere, directed a plot to assassinate on U.S. soil an attorney and political activist who is a U.S. citizen of Indian origin residing in New York City (the victim). The victim is a vocal critic of the Indian government and leads a U.S.-based organization that advocates for the secession of Punjab, a state in northern India that is home to a large population of Sikhs, an ethnoreligious minority group in India. The victim has publicly called for some or all of Punjab to secede from India and establish a Sikh sovereign state called Khalistan, and the Indian government has banned the victim and his separatist organization from India.

During times relevant to the second superseding indictment, Yadav was employed by the Government of India’s Cabinet Secretariat, which houses Indian’s foreign intelligence service, the Research and Analysis Wing. Yadav has described his position as a “senior field officer” with responsibilities in “security management” and “intelligence.” Yadav also has referenced previously serving in India’s Central Reserve Police Force and receiving “officer[] training” in “battle craft” and “weapons.” Yadav is a citizen and resident of India, and he directed the plot to assassinate the Victim from India.

In or about May 2023, Yadav recruited Gupta to orchestrate the assassination of the victim in the United States. Gupta is an Indian national who resided in India and has described his involvement in international narcotics and weapons trafficking in his communications with Yadav and others. At Yadav’s direction, Gupta contacted an individual whom Gupta believed to be a criminal associate, but who was in fact a confidential source (the CS) working with the DEA, for assistance in contracting a hitman to murder the victim in New York City. The CS introduced Gupta to a purported hitman, who was in fact a DEA undercover officer (the UC). Yadav subsequently agreed, in dealings brokered by Gupta, to pay the UC $100,000 to murder the victim. On or about June 9, 2023, Yadav and Gupta arranged for an associate to deliver $15,000 in cash to the UC as an advance payment for the murder. Yadav’s associate then delivered the $15,000 to the UC in Manhattan.

In or about June 2023, in furtherance of the assassination plot, Yadav provided Gupta with personal information about the victim, including the victim’s home address in New York City, phone numbers associated with the victim, and details about the victim’s day-to-day conduct, which Gupta then passed to the UC. Yadav directed Gupta to provide regular updates on the progress of the assassination plot, which Gupta accomplished by forwarding to Yadav, among other things, surveillance photographs of the victim. Gupta directed the UC to carry out the murder as soon as possible, but Gupta also specifically instructed the UC not to commit the murder around the time of the Indian Prime Minister’s official state visit to the United States, which was scheduled to begin on or about June 20, 2023.

On or about June 18, 2023, approximately two days before the Indian Prime Minister’s state visit to the United States, masked gunmen murdered Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia, Canada. Nijjar was an associate of the victim, and, like the victim, was a leader of the Sikh separatist movement and an outspoken critic of the Indian government. On or about June 19, 2023, the day after the Nijjar murder, Gupta told the UC that Nijjar “was also the target” and “we have so many targets.” Gupta added that, in light of Nijjar’s murder, there was “now no need to wait” on killing the Victim. On or about June 20, 2023, Yadav sent Gupta a news article about the victim and messaged Gupta, “[i]t’s [a] priority now.”

Yadav and Gupta of India have been charged with murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; and conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The DEA New York Division and the FBI New York Field Office’s Counterintelligence Division are investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the DEA Special Operations Division, DEA Vienna Country Office, FBI Prague Country Office, Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and Czech Republic’s National Drug Headquarters.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Camille L. Fletcher, Ashley C. Nicolas, and Alexander Li for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Christopher Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Trial Attorney A.J. Dixon of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.