Indian National Nikhil Gupta Faces Justice in US for Alleged Murder Plot

Indian national Nikhil Gupta, accused of plotting to assassinate Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US, faces charges in a New York court. Arrested in the Czech Republic and extradited to the US, Gupta pleaded not guilty. The case highlights international cooperation against alleged assassination conspiracies.

Indian national Nikhil Gupta, accused of being involved in a murder-for-hire plot against a Sikh extremist on American soil, will now face justice in a US courtroom, Attorney General Merrick Garland has said, asserting that the country will not tolerate attempts to harm its citizens.

Gupta was arrested and detained in the Czech Republic on June 30, 2023, at the request of the US government on charges of being involved in a plot to assassinate Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York. He was extradited to the US on June 14. Gupta, who pleaded not guilty in a New York federal court, is charged with murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, facing a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each charge.

This case, described by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco as an attempt to silence a political activist exercising his freedom of speech, underscores the seriousness with which US authorities regard threats to constitutionally-protected rights. FBI Director Christopher Wray echoed this commitment, emphasizing the agency's resolve to safeguard these freedoms.

According to prosecutors, Gupta was enlisted by an Indian government employee to target an attorney and political activist, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The assassination plot involved coordination with undercover agents and included advance payments for the murder. Despite Gupta's efforts to expedite the plan, the intricate details of the plot and the roles of various participants have brought the issue into international focus, prompting Indian authorities to conduct a high-level inquiry.

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