Washington: The United States has charged a former officer of India’s intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), for his alleged involvement in a failed plot to assassinate an American citizen, a prominent Sikh activist advocating for the Khalistan movement.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York filed “murder-for-hire and money laundering charges” against Vikash Yadav. Yadav, identified as a former RAW officer, is accused of conspiring to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a US-based Sikh activist and legal adviser for Sikhs for Justice, a group advocating for a sovereign Sikh state in India’s Punjab region.

A second suspect, Nikhil Gupta, was extradited to the US earlier this year and faces similar charges, while Yadav remains at large. The FBI stated that it will not tolerate any acts of violence or repression against individuals exercising their First Amendment rights in the US.

“The defendant [Yadav], an Indian government employee, allegedly conspired with a criminal associate and attempted to assassinate a US citizen on American soil for exercising their First Amendment rights,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray.

The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) raised concerns about the growing threats of transnational repression against diaspora communities in the US, urging Washington to address the issue.

Sikhs for Justice responded to the indictment, calling it a demonstration of the US government’s commitment to protect its citizens’ rights to life, liberty, and free speech. The group reaffirmed its resolve to pursue the Khalistan movement through democratic means, including non-binding referendums among the Sikh diaspora.

The charges come amidst escalating tensions between India and Canada, following Canada’s accusation that Indian government agents were linked to the 2023 assassination of Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an advocate for Khalistan.