Indian Government Employee Charged in Alleged Murder-for-Hire Plot Against U.S. Citizen

The United States has filed serious charges against an Indian government employee, Vikash Yadav, for his alleged involvement in a failed murder-for-hire plot targeting a U.S. citizen in New York. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York made the announcement on Thursday, revealing that Yadav faces both murder-for-hire and money laundering charges in connection with the plot.

Yadav, who remains at large, was reportedly part of a conspiracy to assassinate a U.S. citizen for exercising their First Amendment rights. According to U.S. authorities, Nikhil Gupta, another suspect in the case, was extradited from the Czech Republic earlier this year and is facing similar charges in the United States. Gupta had been arrested in Prague last year.

FBI Director Christopher Wray emphasized the agency’s dedication to protecting U.S. citizens from acts of retaliation for exercising their constitutional rights. In a statement, Wray said, “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.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office disclosed that Yadav, who worked for the Indian government, allegedly conspired with criminal associates to carry out the assassination. While Yadav remains on the run, the case has drawn significant attention due to the involvement of international entities.

The announcement of the charges coincided with a visit by members of an Indian inquiry committee to Washington, where they met with U.S. officials regarding the case. Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, mentioned that India had informed them Yadav was no longer employed by the government. He also confirmed that cooperation between the two nations remains ongoing.

This case emerged just as diplomatic tensions between Canada and India have escalated. Earlier this week, Canada expelled several Indian diplomats, accusing them of being involved in the targeting of foreign citizens abroad. These allegations have been met with firm denials from India, which has called them “absurd” and has since expelled Canadian diplomats in response.

The origins of the murder-for-hire plot were first revealed last year when federal prosecutors charged Gupta with attempting to orchestrate the assassination of a U.S.-based leader. According to court documents, Yadav recruited Gupta in May 2023 to arrange the killing. Gupta, an Indian citizen, believed he was working with a criminal associate when, in fact, he was communicating with an undercover source from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Yadav allegedly instructed Gupta to contract a hitman and promised $100,000 for the assassination. Of that sum, $15,000 was delivered to the DEA source in Manhattan, with the transaction allegedly coordinated by Yadav’s associate.

Yadav, a government employee with India’s Cabinet Secretariat, reportedly directed the entire operation from India. U.S. authorities say Yadav shared detailed information about the target, including the victim’s home address, phone numbers, and daily movements. Gupta then passed this information to the DEA operative, believing the hit was imminent.

Prosecutors allege that Yadav demanded regular updates from Gupta and received surveillance photos of the intended victim. The plot was uncovered before any action could be taken, and Gupta was apprehended, while Yadav’s whereabouts remain unknown.