Delhi court grants exemption from personal appearance to Vikash Yadav after he cites threat to life

A Delhi court has granted exemption from personal appearance to Vikash Yadav, accused of attempting to kill alleged Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the USA, in a case of kidnapping and extortion lodged against him after he claimed a threat to life.

Special Judge Sumit Dass granted the exemption to Yadav for November 16 on an application moved by his lawyer, claiming that his personal details have been made public, putting his life at risk.

The judge directed him to appear before the court on February 3, the next date of hearing.

Yadav was arrested by the Special Cell of Delhi Police in December last year following a complaint by a Delhi-based businessman, accusing him of extortion and kidnapping. A charge sheet was filed in March, and Yadav was granted bail in April.

Yadav, said to be a former RAW official, was named by the US in connection with the failed assassination attempt on Pannun.

The application before the court stated that "false and frivolous allegations have been levelled against the applicant (Yadav) and the particulars of the applicant, such as his residence, his background, along with his photographs, have been published all over the world, exposing the applicant to serious threats to his life from nefarious elements."

"The applicant is being hounded by continuous surveillance by inimical elements who are trying to trace the applicant at all possible places, leaving no option for the applicant but to ensure his safety in confines. Threat to the life of the applicant is clear, present, grave, imminent, and potential, and the physical appearance of the applicant before the court is likely to lend an opportunity to annihilate the applicant," the application claimed.

It claimed that even appearing through video conference was "extremely unsafe" as Yadav's location might be detected by the use of electronic technology.

The applicant is keen to earn his innocence through trial and is represented by his counsel, it claimed.