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Journalism of Courage
A Delhi court Monday exempted the personal appearance of former Research and Analysis Wing (RA&W) officer Vikash Yadav before it after he had cited a “threat to his life”. He was charged by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) with “murder-for-hire” and money laundering in connection with the alleged plot to kill pro-Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
This was the second time Yadav requested an exemption from attending in person, and it was approved. The first request was made in November on the same grounds.
Yadav was represented in the Court of Additional Sessions Judge Sumit Dass of Patiala House Court by advocates R K Handoo and Aditya Chaudhary. “We filed an application for the second time seeking exemption from physical appearance. We cited a threat to Yadav’s life. The court allowed this application,” Chaudhary told The Indian Express.
On December 18, 2023, less than three weeks after US DoJ documents mentioned him as “CC-1” (co-conspirator), the Delhi Police Special Cell arrested Yadav and his associate Abdullah Khan. This was 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.
They were booked under Indian Penal Code sections 307 (attempt to murder), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 364A (abduction), 506 (threatening), 341 (wrongful confinement), 328 (poisoning) and sections 25 and 27 (punishment for certain offences related to arms and ammunition) of the Arms Act. Yadav was granted interim bail on March 22, 2024, and regular bail on April 22 in the case.
The court will now hear the case on March 24 and Judge Dass sought the presence of the investigating officer, who could attend Monday’s hearing as he was on poll duty for the Delhi Assembly elections 2025.
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