Amid controversies over his alleged involvement in the plot to murder Khalistani extremist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US, the family of Vikash Yadav aka Vikas has said that they have no information about him ever working for the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).
Vikash Yadav was named by the US Justice Department's second indictment as the "former RAW official" who recruited Nikhil Gupta, who is currently languishing in a US prison, to orchestrate the Pannun murder plot.
The 39-year-old Vikash, however, is no longer an employee of the government of India, according to the MEA. The Centre has not said anything regarding the whereabouts of Yadav and issued no further clarification regarding the FBI claims.
The family of Vikash expressed shock at the allegations, adding that Vikash told his cousin Avinash Yadav that the allegations were false and media reports baseless.
Avinash told Reuters that the family has no information about him working for the spy agency. Both Avinash and Vikash hail from the village of Pranpura in Haryana state.
"He never mentioned anything about it," Avinash told Reuters, adding that he was always in touch with Vikash. "For us, he is still working for the CRPF," he added. The family added that Vikash joined the CRPF in 2009 and is serving as a deputy commandant and a trained paratrooper.
The family maintains that they have no clue about his whereabouts now. All they know is that Vikash lived with his wife and daughter, who was born last year.
Vikash's mother Sudesh Yadav, 65, said Vikash had been working for the country. "What can I say? I do not know whether the U.S. government is telling the truth or not. He has been working for the country," she told Reuters.
The family also dismissed allegations that Vikash offered Nikhil Gupta, a gangster, $15,00 for the hit job. Referring to the family's modest, single-storey house, Avinash said: "Where will so much money come from? Can you see any Audis and Mercedes lined up outside this house?"
His family also said that Vikash's father too was with the CRPF. He passed away in 2007. "Only the government of India and Vikash know what has happened," he said, adding that Vikash had been "a quiet boy interested in books and athletics and was a national-level marksman."
"If the government "abandons" a paramilitary officer, then who will work for them? We want the Indian government to support us, they should inform us what has happened. Otherwise, where will we go?, Amit told Reuters.