The case surrounding Vikash Yadav, a former RAW officer accused by U.S. authorities of orchestrating a plot to assassinate pro-Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, has grown increasingly complex, particularly in light of the legal obstacles that may hinder his extradition to the U.S. Yadav, who was arrested in December 2023 on unrelated charges of robbery and kidnapping in Delhi, is currently out on bail. These charges, stemming from an alleged incident involving the abduction and extortion of a businessman, carry severe penalties of up to 10 years in prison, complicating any potential U.S. extradition request.
Yadav’s potential extradition is contingent upon the conclusion of his trial in India and the fulfillment of any sentence he may receive. While the U.S. may pursue his extradition as a logical follow-up to placing him on its “most wanted” list, the pending trial in India is likely to delay any such move significantly.
In addition to the Yadav case, India has long-standing extradition requests with the U.S. for individuals such as David Coleman Headley and Tahawwur Rana, both involved in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. While the U.S. court has cleared Rana’s extradition, his legal team continues to employ strategies to prevent his handover to India. Headley, a U.S. citizen with ties to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist organization and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), presents an even more challenging case for extradition due to his involvement with both entities.
Yadav’s situation, which includes allegations of orchestrating criminal activities like kidnapping for ransom, further complicates the U.S.’s extradition efforts. His trial in India, alongside the existing demands for the extradition of individuals like Headley and Rana, underscores the complexity of international legal cooperation between India and the U.S., particularly in sensitive cases involving terrorism and violent crime.
