Indian National Faces US Court for Alleged Khalistani Activist Murder Plot

GG News Bureau
Washington, 18th June. Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national aged 53, is set to face justice in a US courtroom for his alleged involvement in a murder-for-hire plot targeting Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil. Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasized that the US will not tolerate attempts to harm its citizens.

Gupta, also known as Nick, was detained in the Czech Republic on June 30, 2023, at the request of the US government and extradited to the US on June 14. He appeared before a federal court in New York on Monday and pleaded not guilty, according to his attorney, Jeffrey Chabrowe.

“This extradition makes clear that the Justice Department will not tolerate attempts to silence or harm American citizens,” Garland stated. Gupta faces charges of murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, each carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco highlighted the plot as an audacious attempt to silence a political activist exercising his freedom of speech, while FBI Director Christopher Wray assured that the agency will protect constitutional freedoms against foreign repression.

The case involves an Indian government employee allegedly collaborating with Gupta to orchestrate the assassination of Pannun, a US citizen and vocal critic of the Indian government, on US soil. Gupta’s communications with the undercover operative, who was actually a DEA agent, led to his arrest.

Gupta allegedly facilitated the plan by providing personal information about the victim and arranging advance payments for the murder. The US government is conducting a high-level inquiry into the evidence provided in the case.