Delhi court grants exemption from personal appearence till Feb 3 to Vikash Yadav indicted in attempted murder of Khalistan separatist Pannun

Nearly a month after the US Department of Justice (DoJ) charged him with “murder-for-hire” and money laundering in connection with the alleged plot to kill pro-Khalistan separatist figure Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Vikash Yadav has moved an application before a Delhi court seeking exemption from attending his case hearing saying there’s a security threat to his life.

The court on Nov 16 exempted him and asked him to appear on February 3.

On December 18, last year, less than three weeks after he was mentioned by US Department of Justice (DoJ) documents as “CC-1” (co-conspirator) last November, Yadav was arrested in a kidnapping and extortion case by the Delhi Police Special Cell.

After four months in Tihar jail, he was released on bail in April this year. On Oct 18, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI’s) New York office put him on its wanted list.

The indictment had alleged that Yadav was employed by the “government of India’s Cabinet Secretariat, which is a part of the Indian Prime Minister’s Office.”

A spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs was recently quoted as saying Yadav is “no longer an employee of the government of India”.

In his application, filed by his advocate R K Handoo on his behalf, Yadav has claimed that there’s a false case registered against him by the Delhi Police.

To support his claim, he attached news reports showing his picture. Yadav has claimed that because of the threat, he can’t attend the case hearing even through videoconferencing as his location could be tracked.

On Nov 16, Yadav’s application was listed before a Delhi court and the court has approved his request but asked him to appear for the next hearing on February 3, 2025.

When contacted, Yadav’s advocate, Handoo confirmed the filing of the application. He was quoted as saying, “There is a security threat to his life and we have moved an application for exemption from the court hearing. The court has approved his request and gave him exemption.”

On December 18, 2023, the Delhi Police Special Cell had arrested Yadav after an FIR was filed against him by a Rohini resident, accusing him of extortion and kidnapping and linking him to jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.

Yadav and his associate Abdullah Khan were picked up by the police the next day. As per the chargesheet filed before a Delhi court on March 13 this year, the men were booked 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.

Yadav was granted interim bail on March 22 and regular bail on April 22. In the bail order, the Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ), Patiala House Courts, wrote, “The accused was granted interim bail by the court and he has not violated any terms and conditions of interim bail. That in view of filing the chargesheet and bail of the co-accused, Khan, no useful purpose is going to be served by keeping the applicant/accused further in judicial custody for an indefinite period. It is prayed that he may be enlarged on bail.”

The ASJ stated that the state opposed the bail application arguing that allegations against the applicant/accused were “grave and serious” and there was a “likelihood of tampering of evidence.”

Granting Yadav bail, the ASJ said that the investigation was complete and he was not required for further custodial interrogation. “…the applicant/accused is not a flight risk; there is no allegation of any threat or influence being exerted upon the witness…Vikash Yadav is admitted to bail on furnishing bail bond in the sum of ₹ 30,000 with one surety.”

The court said that bail was subject to the conditions that the accused give an active phone number to the police, not leave the country without prior permission of the court, and surrender his passport.