Indian National Nikhil Gupta Faces US Court for Alleged Murder-for-Hire Plot

Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, is set to face trial in a US courtroom for his alleged involvement in a plot to assassinate Sikh extremist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York. Gupta, arrested in Czech Republic and extradited to the US, pleaded not guilty in federal court.

Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, has been extradited to the United States to face charges related to an alleged murder-for-hire plot targeting Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York. Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasized that the US will not tolerate any attempts to silence or harm its citizens.

Gupta, 53, was detained in the Czech Republic at the behest of the US government on June 30, 2023, and subsequently extradited. At his arraignment in New York, Gupta pleaded not guilty to charges that carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The case will be overseen by US District Judge Victor Marrero.

The Justice Department alleges that Gupta was part of a plot directed by an employee of the Indian government to target Pannun, a vocal critic of the Indian government and a proponent of Sikh separatism. Gupta's case is part of a larger investigation into foreign efforts to repress constitutionally protected freedoms on US soil.

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