U.S. Justice Department Charges Indian RAW Officer in Assassination Plot on U.S. Soil, Releases His Photograph

The U.S. Department of Justice has charged Vikash Yadav, a former mid-level officer of India’s intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), with murder-for-hire and money laundering in connection with a foiled assassination plot targeting a U.S. citizen in New York City. Yadav, 39, who remains at large, is accused of orchestrating the plot as part of an effort to silence a vocal critic of the Indian government residing in the U.S.

The charges, filed in a second superseding indictment in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, represent an escalation in U.S. government concerns about transnational repression—where foreign governments target their diaspora communities abroad. Yadav’s alleged co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, 53, was previously extradited to the U.S. and faces similar charges.

“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 governments around the world considering such criminal activity, let there be no doubt that the Department of Justice is committed to disrupting and exposing these plots, and holding wrongdoers accountable no matter who they are or where they reside.”

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) played a key role in thwarting the assassination attempt, which was uncovered last year. DEA Administrator Anne Milgram emphasized the significance of this case, stating, “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 on U.S. soil. This case is a testament to the tenacity and determination of our team.”

The investigation, led by the DEA New York Division’s Drug Enforcement Task Force, which includes the New York State Police and the New York City Police Department, has drawn attention to the alleged misuse of government resources and intelligence to silence critics abroad.

The unsealing of Yadav’s charges and the release of his photograph mark a significant moment in U.S.-India relations, raising concerns about foreign government operations on U.S. soil. As Yadav remains at large, the international implications of the case continue to unfold.