The family of the ex-R&AW agent Vikash Yadav dismissed the United States’s accusations against him over his alleged involvement in the attempt to murder Khalistani separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
On October 17, the former RAW agent was indicted and declared wanted by the US’s domestic intelligence and security service, the FBI over an attempt to murder Pannun, now a dual citizen of the US and Canada, who was declared a terrorist by India in 2020.
In response to the allegations, Vikash Yadav described it as “false media reports” when he spoke to his cousin, Avinash Yadav, the relative told Reuters on Saturday in Vikash’s ancestral in Pranpura village of Haryana.
The family has no clue that Vikas was a RAW agent
According to Vikash’s cousin Avinash, the family has “no information” about the research and analysis wing (R&AW). He added that despite frequent contacts, Vikash had “never mentioned anything about it”.
“For us, he is still working for the CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force)”, where “he is deputy commandant and a trained paratrooper,” Avinash said.
Avinash added that he does not know where Vikash is currently, but that he lives with his wife and a daughter who was born last year.
Vikash’s mother Sudesh Yadav, 65, said she is still in shock about the allegations commenting that her son “has been working for the country”.
Another cousin Amit Yadav said that Vikash was a quiet boy who was interested in books and athletics and was a national-level shooter.
“Only the government of India and Vikash know what has happened. If the government abandons a paramilitary officer then who will work for them?” Amit said.
“We want the Indian government to support us, they should inform us what has happened. Otherwise, where will we go?” Avinash said adding, Indian officials should inform them about their cousin’s services to the government.
Vikash Yadav’s father was an officer with India’s Border Security Force (BSF) till he died in 2007, and his brother works with Haryana police. The village of Pranpura sends most of its young men to join the security forces.
Vikash arrested for ‘supari’ from Lawrence Bishnoi
The former RAW agent Vikash Yadav was arrested in December 2023 by the Delhi police on the charges of kidnapping and an attempt to murder a Delhi businessman, and was let on bail on April 2024 after four months in Tihar jail, reports The Indian Express.
The arrest was made based on the businessman’s complaint, which said Vikash, who befriended him in November 2023, had said “he is some kind of undercover agent”, but had not revealed any further details.
On December 11, Vikash contacted the businessman and invited him to meet at Delhi’s Lodhi Road, where he and an accomplice of his forcibly took the businessman to a flat in the Defence colony area and allegedly attacked him as the complaint states.
The businessman was hit on his head by Vikash’s accomplice. He also took a gold chain and a few rings, his complaint added.
There was a “supari” (contract) to eliminate him, given by gangster Lawrence Bishnoi at the behest of a Dubai-based person.
The businessman was eventually dropped off by the accused duo and was threatened not to approach any authorities.
The Delhi police arrested Vikash and his accomplice the next day, and a chargesheet was filed before a Delhi Court on March 13.
Vikash was reportedly granted interim bail 9 days after the chargesheet was filed under IPC Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 364A (abduction), 506 (threatening), 341 (wrongful confinement), 328 (poisoning) and Section 25/27 of the Arms Act.
The interim bail was later made a regular bail on April 22.
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