According to the U.S. Justice Department, the scheme to kill Pannun was devised in mid-2023. Yadav allegedly collaborated with co-conspirators in India and abroad, including Nikhil Gupta, a recruited associate, to carry out the assassination. The plot gained momentum after the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, another leading Khalistani figure, in Canada that year, which reportedly led Yadav’s team to accelerate their plans.
Yadav’s co-conspirators reportedly hired an individual to execute the murder for $100,000. However, the individual turned out to be an FBI informant, leading to the plot's exposure. In June 2023, Gupta traveled to Prague, where he was arrested by U.S. authorities and subsequently extradited. Gupta has since pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges.