Assassination Plot – Nikhil Gupta Pleads Guilty in US Court
Assassination Plot – An Indian national accused of orchestrating a murder-for-hire conspiracy targeting a Khalistani separatist leader in the United States has admitted guilt in a New York federal court. Nikhil Gupta, 54, entered a guilty plea on three criminal counts during a hearing on Friday, marking a major turn in a case that has drawn attention in both Washington and New Delhi.
Guilty Plea Entered in Manhattan Court
Gupta appeared before Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn at the federal courthouse in Manhattan. According to officials from the US Attorney’s Office in Manhattan, he accepted responsibility for charges linked to a 2023 plot aimed at eliminating Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a US-based separatist figure. Judge Netburn subsequently recommended that District Judge Victor Marrero formally accept the plea agreement.
This development reverses Gupta’s earlier stance. After being extradited from the Czech Republic to the United States, he had initially pleaded not guilty.
Charges and Potential Sentencing
The charges include murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Combined, these offenses carry a maximum possible prison sentence of 40 years under federal law.
However, under the terms of a plea agreement reached with prosecutors, a significantly reduced sentence has been recommended. Court filings indicate that federal prosecutors have proposed a prison term ranging between 21 and 24 years, subject to final approval by the presiding district judge.
Legal representatives for Gupta did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the hearing.
Background of the Alleged Plot
Prosecutors have alleged that Gupta agreed to pay $100,000 to arrange the killing of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who holds dual US and Canadian citizenship. Pannun is associated with Sikhs for Justice, an organization that has been declared unlawful in India.
According to court documents, the alleged assassination plan was disrupted before it could be carried out. The individual believed to be a hired hitman was, in fact, an undercover federal agent working with US authorities. Investigators said this covert operation played a central role in uncovering and preventing the planned attack.
Arrest and Extradition
Gupta’s legal troubles began in 2023 when he was detained by Czech authorities at Vaclav Havel Airport in Prague. The arrest followed a US request connected to the alleged cross-border conspiracy. After legal proceedings in the Czech Republic, he was extradited to the United States.
Since June 2024, Gupta has been held in a detention facility in Brooklyn while awaiting trial proceedings.
Allegations of External Links
US prosecutors previously identified an alleged associate described in court filings as Vikash Yadav, whom they referred to as an Indian-based handler connected to the case. Authorities characterized him as a former intelligence operative acting independently. Indian officials have not publicly detailed their position on those specific claims.
The case has emerged against a backdrop of heightened scrutiny over international security concerns and diplomatic sensitivities. While the legal process continues in the US federal system, attention remains focused on how the sentencing phase will unfold and whether further disclosures may arise during future court hearings.
For now, Gupta’s guilty plea represents a decisive development in a case that underscores the complex challenges of addressing alleged transnational criminal activity.