India has informed the United States that it has arrested an individual identified as “CC1” in connection with a US Department of Justice (DOJ) indictment. This indictment implicated CC1 in orchestrating an assassination plot against an American citizen on US soil. A US official confirmed this information to Hindustan Times (HT).
The individual, identified by the Washington Post as Vikram Yadav, was previously a government official in India. The DOJ’s indictment claimed that he directed an alleged assassination attempt against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a designated terrorist and American national, in New York in June 2023. Following the allegations, India has stated that CC1 is no longer a government employee, and an inquiry committee has been established to further investigate his connections.
Members of the Indian inquiry committee are scheduled to visit Washington, D.C., to discuss their findings with American officials and gain insights into the ongoing US investigation. This visit was confirmed by the US official, who noted that the committee’s trip was planned well in advance. The travel arrangements were first mentioned in a State Department press release on Monday, which was later deleted from the department’s website.
The DOJ indictment indicated that the assassination plot had been foiled. Nikhil Gupta, an intermediary allegedly linked to CC1, was arrested in Prague last year and has since been extradited to the US, where his trial is expected to begin soon. Notably, the hired assassin, allegedly contracted by Gupta, turned out to be an undercover law enforcement agent.
The US official expressed encouragement regarding the actions taken by India, stating, “We are encouraged that this person is no longer a government employee. We have also been informed that he has been arrested on local charges.” They emphasized that this move reflects a commitment to accountability and serious engagement between both governments on the issue.
Frequent communications have taken place between US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, with ongoing discussions among officials from both countries at various levels.
The news regarding CC1’s arrest coincides with India downgrading its diplomatic relations with Canada, recalling its high commissioner from Ottawa and expelling six Canadian diplomats. When asked if there was coordination between these developments, the US official stated that the timing was coincidental and emphasized that the inquiry committee’s visit was solely focused on the US case.
The US remains committed to pursuing accountability concerning the allegations, reinforcing its willingness to collaborate with India on the matter.
The DOJ’s indictment laid out allegations that led Pannun to file a lawsuit in New York against the Indian government, Doval, and the then-chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), Samant Goel. Following this, a New York court issued summons against those named in the lawsuit. Doval’s absence from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US last month has been widely interpreted as a consequence of the ongoing controversy surrounding these allegations.
The way US and Indian authorities have handled the allegations contrasts sharply with the approach taken by Canada. US officials shared specific information with Indian counterparts privately before the allegations were made public, whereas Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly accused India in parliament without providing evidence for over a year.
Unlike the strained relations with Canada, the US-India relationship has not been hindered by these allegations, as both nations continue high-level diplomatic engagements and work through appropriate legal channels to address the situation. India’s acknowledgment of the allegations and the formation of an inquiry committee demonstrate its commitment to transparency and accountability in the face of serious claims.
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