Vikash Yadav: From CRPF officer to man at the centre of FBI probe
FBI’s poster featuring the name and photos of former intelligence officer Vikash (Vikas) Yadav was circulated widely within WhatsApp groups of CRPF personnel.
On Friday, FBI’s poster featuring the name and photos of former intelligence officer Vikash (Vikas) Yadav was circulated widely within WhatsApp groups of personnel (serving and retired) of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), India’s largest paramilitary force.
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) charged Yadav (39) for plotting to murder pro-Khalistan separatist and Sikhs for Justice chief, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a US citizen.
His identity and photographs were included in the indictment by the Department of Justice (DOJ), in which he was identified as a “senior field officer” of India’s external agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). The contents of the indictment also mentioned that Yadav served in CRPF as an “assistant commandant with the command of a 135-man company”. His photographs –– three including one in which he is seen wearing military fatigues –– were included by the FBI in its wanted list .
“It looks like he joined RAW on deputation very early in his career. Maybe the recruiters saw something in him during his training days and transferred him to RAW within months of graduating from the academy. There are many cases of CRPF people going to central agencies on deputation. Some have gone on to join state police forces and have been retained by them permanently,” said a CRPF officer who asked not to be named.
A second officer said that most people do not remember Yadav.
“Most people who interacted with me today claimed they do not know him. But if the man is from CRPF and some of his batchmates have recognised him then his identity or real name should not be leaked. He should not be identified,” added this person who too asked not to be named.
The CRPF DG’s office did not respond to HT’s queries for comment.
