Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national accused of planning a murder-for-hire scheme targeting a Sikh extremist in the US, entered a plea of not guilty in a federal court. Gupta, extradited from the Czech Republic, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire. His upcoming court appearance is set for June 28. The US asserts that Gupta was acting under the guidance of an unnamed Indian government official, a claim that India refutes, stating it is carrying out its own investigation into the incident.
Nikhil Gupta, a 52-year-old Indian national, has been extradited from the Czech Republic to the US. He was arrested in the Czech Republic last year at the behest of the US government on allegations of involvement in a murder-for-hire plot targeting Khalistan terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Gupta is set to be presented before a federal court in New York on Monday for legal proceedings. Currently, he is being held at the federal Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, listed as an inmate. The Washington Post was the first to report on his extradition, shedding light on the unfolding legal situation.
Nikhil Gupta, previously detained in the Czech Republic, has reportedly arrived in New York over the weekend, as per sources familiar with the situation who chose to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the legal proceedings. The individuals mentioned that extradited defendants typically need to appear in court within a day of their arrival in the country, as per the daily report. Federal prosecutors claim that Gupta engaged a hitman to assassinate Pannun and provided an upfront payment of $15,000. They further allege the involvement of an unnamed Indian government official in the matter.
Gupta’s extradition precedes the upcoming visit of US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to New Delhi for the annual ICET dialogue. It is anticipated that Sullivan will address the matter with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval during the visit. India has refuted any connection to the case and has initiated an inquiry into the accusations.
Gupta has refuted the accusations through his legal representative, stating that he has been unjustly charged. In a petition to the Indian Supreme Court, Gupta’s attorney, Rohini Musa, argued that her client is facing unfair prosecution, emphasizing that there is no concrete evidence linking Gupta to the purported extensive scheme to assassinate the alleged victim, as reported by The Washington Post.
Musa expressed concerns that Gupta was given unfavorable legal counsel by a lawyer appointed by the Czech government “under the undue influence of… U.S. Agencies” at the beginning of his detention. She highlighted that India and the United States were engaged in a cycle of accusing each other regarding their foreign policies, as per the daily report.
