A former Indian government official was charged in the United States this week for allegedly orchestrating a thwarted murder scheme. He had previously been arrested in New Delhi in December in connection with an attempted murder case, as indicated by court documents and a police source.

The U.S. Justice Department revealed the indictment of Vikash Yadav, 39, on Thursday, claiming he was the mastermind behind a plan to assassinate a Sikh separatist in New York. According to the indictment, which dates back to May 2023, Yadav, who was identified as an Indian government employee at that time, collaborated with others both in India and internationally to execute the plot against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada.

On December 18, Delhi Police apprehended Yadav in the Indian capital, as confirmed by the police officer who spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonymity. Yadav and an accomplice faced charges of attempted murder and other offenses, as per a filing in a Delhi district court. Yadav’s attorney, R.K. Handoo, dismissed the Indian charges as “fallacious,” asserting that there was “an international conspiracy to tarnish the reputation of the Indian government and my client.”

Handoo chose not to provide any additional comments. Neither he nor the police addressed inquiries regarding Yadav’s location. According to a report by The Washington Post, referencing American officials, Yadav remains in India, and the U.S. is anticipated to pursue his extradition.

Yadav’s arrest stemmed from a complaint filed by an Indian businessman, who accused Yadav and an accomplice of kidnapping him in December, as well as assaulting and robbing him, as outlined in a Delhi district court order dated February 23.

The court order stated, “The accused persons tortured and manhandled the complainant and demanded money in the name of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi,” summarizing the allegations. Bishnoi, currently incarcerated in Gujarat, India, is identified as a leader of an organized crime syndicate by the National Investigation Agency of India. His attorney claims that Bishnoi is facing over 40 legal cases, including charges of murder and extortion, with many trials yet to commence.

This week, Canada accused Indian government agents of having connections to Bishnoi’s gang and orchestrating a campaign against Indian dissidents residing in Canada. The Indian government has refuted these claims.

In the case involving Yadav in Delhi, the court order referencing the complaint stated: “The accused individuals obtained a bank cheque book from the complainant’s café, secured his signature on blank cheques, and subsequently left him near his vehicle while threatening him to keep quiet.”