Court grants bail to co-accused in case involving Vikas Yadav | India News

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court granted bail to a co-accused in the extortion and kidnapping case involving Vikas Yadav, a former Indian government official charged by the US authorities for his alleged role in a foiled plot to assassinate Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil. Pannun was designated a terrorist by India.Additional sessions judge Saurabh Partap Singh Laler noted on July 23 that complainant Raj Kumar Walia alleged that he was kidnapped, assaulted, and robbed by co-accused Vikas Yadav and Abdullah Khan on Dec 17, 2023, and that Yadav claimed to be acting on behalf of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.The court, hearing the bail plea of Jalaluddin, alias Sameer, said there was undisputed evidence of the complainant and the accused travelling together to Thailand merely three weeks after the registration of the FIR on Jan 6, 2024, creating prima facie doubt. “The complainant (Walia) stated that he was forced to make a video call to the applicant/accused (Jalaluddin), who was purportedly based in Dubai, demanding hawala payments. The complainant was allegedly injected with a substance, beaten, and robbed of valuables, including cash, jewellery, and cheques,” the judge noted.Advocate Lokesh Ahlawat, Jalauddin’s counsel, told the court that his client and Walia travelled to Thailand on the same day, Jan 6, 2024, shortly after the FIR was lodged on Dec 17, 2023, and that the complainant did not disclose this fact to the investigating officer or the court at any stage. The court granted Jalauddin bail on furnishing a bail bond and two surety bonds of Rs 1 lakh each, subject to several other conditions, including not tampering with evidence, not contacting the complainant, and cooperating for the expeditious disposal of the case. A chargesheet has already been filed against Jalauddin and the matter has been fixed for further proceedings on Aug 25. The court noted that the Delhi police’s special cell then registered an FIR invoking charges of kidnapping for ransom, attempt to murder, criminal intimidation, robbery, criminal conspiracy, and violations of the Arms Act. The court said Yadav and Khan were arrested earlier and certain recoveries were made at their instance, but Jalaluddin was arrested on July 1 this year for his alleged role in the criminal conspiracy.After examining the relevant passport pages, the court said, “The passport entries unequivocally confirm that both the complainant and the applicant arrived in Thailand on Jan 6, 2024. The complainant’s passport shows his arrival in Thailand on that date, and the applicant’s passport and flight tickets corroborate the same.”