In the Terrorist Pannun murder plot case, a Delhi court has issued a non-bailable warrant against ex-RAW officer Vikas Yadav, who has been named by the United States, intensifying the legal and diplomatic spotlight on him.
A Delhi Court has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against former Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) officer Vikas Yadav, who has also been identified by US authorities as a conspirator in a plot to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
The warrant issued after Yadav failed to appear in court for a pending case involving alleged kidnapping and extortion, despite multiple calls for his presence throughout the morning.
The order was given by Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Saurabh Partap Singh Laler of Patiala House Courts, who also issued a notice to Yadav’s surety under Section 491 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which pertains to bond forfeiture.
The judge remarked on Yadav’s ongoing absence, noting that he had been repeatedly called during the proceedings.
The order stated,
“Issue NBWs against accused Vikas Yadav and notice to his surety under Section 491 BNSS for 17.10.2025,”
Previously, Yadav had filed exemption applications citing a “threat to his life,” which were granted.
However, on Monday, he did not submit a new exemption plea, leading the court to take coercive action. Yadav was arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell on December 18, 2023, following an FIR from a Rohini resident who accused him of kidnapping and extortion, allegedly in collaboration with jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.
His arrest occurred shortly after US authorities publicly linked him to the alleged assassination plot against Pannun.
Although he was later granted bail in the Rohini case, investigations continued into his suspected connections with underworld figures and international networks. In the same court session, an application from co-accused Abdullah Khan was heard, seeking an extension of his passport release.
Khan, who is out on bail, argued that his father had recently been diagnosed with Essential Thrombocytosis (ET), a type of chronic blood cancer, necessitating specialized medical consultations abroad.
Khan’s counsel stated that he needed to accompany his father to Dubai, Singapore, and the UK for further medical opinions, and submitted supporting medical documents with the plea. While Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) Mukul Kumar opposed the request, warning that approval could allow Khan to evade justice, the court acknowledged Khan’s prior compliance.
The court ruled,
“Previously also the applicant/accused has been allowed to travel abroad and he is never reported to have misused the liberty granted. In view of submissions made, extension of release of passport is allowed till NDOH i.e. 17.10.2025, subject to the same terms and conditions mentioned in the order dated 28.05.2025,”
The matter is now scheduled for arguments on charges on October 17, 2025. Copies of the order were directed to be sent to the Investigating Officer (IO) and Station House Officer (SHO) for necessary compliance, with a copy also handed over to Khan.
These developments occur amid a continuing lawyers’ strike across Delhi district courts, which has now entered its third day. The strike was initiated by the Coordination Committee of All District Court Bar Associations in response to a notification from Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, allowing police to present evidence virtually from police stations.
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Despite the strike, the court proceeded with urgent criminal matters, including those involving Yadav and Khan. By issuing NBWs against Vikas Yadav and extending Abdullah Khan’s passport under stringent conditions, the Delhi court has demonstrated a balanced approach: enforcing attendance for absconding accused while allowing leniency on genuine humanitarian grounds.
The upcoming hearing on October 17 will be pivotal in deciding whether formal charges will be framed against both accused in the kidnapping and extortion case.
Case Title: State v. Vikas Yadav & Anr.
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