On Friday, United States President-elect Donald Trump came up with an announcement that the former chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Jay Clayton, will serve as District Attorney for the Southern District of New York under his administration.
Additionally, Clayton will replace federal prosecutor Damian Williams, who filed charges against former Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) officer Vikash Yadav in the so-called assassination plot of Separatist terrorist and founder of the terror outfit ‘Sikhs for Justice’, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
Importantly, the Government of India (GOI) has been monitoring closely the development, as the government has denied any association. The other accused in the case are Indian national Nikhil Gupta and an unnamed intelligence officer. Gupta, who is a businessman, was charged as a co-conspirator in the matter and was arrested in the Czech Republic.
He was extradited to the US in June 2024. Gupta has denied any involvement in the so-called assassination plot. In the charges filed by Williams, Yadav has been described as a “senior field officer” of RAW. Yadav is in custody in India on charges of extortion and kidnapping. Presently, he is on the “wanted” list of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Yadav, Gupta, and the unnamed official have been accused of trying to hire a professional criminal to kill Pannun, who turned out to be a government agent.
In a statement issued on Truth Social, Trump described Clayton as a “highly respected business leader, counsel, and public servant.” Trump wrote, “I am pleased to announce that Jay Clayton, of New York, the Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission during my first term, where he did an incredible job, is hereby nominated to be the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Jay is a highly respected business leader, counsel, and public servant”.
Notably, Jay received Engineering and Law degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, and an Economics degree from the University of Cambridge. Before chairing the SEC, Jay was a partner at Sullivan & Cromwell and served on the Management Committee. Presently, he is a Senior Policy Advisor to Sullivan & Cromwell, a Board Member of several public and private companies, and an Adjunct Professor at the Wharton Business School and the Carey Law School at the University of Pennsylvania. Jay is going to be a strong Fighter for the Truth as we, Make America Great Again.”
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