Top Czech Court Halts Extradition Of Indian National Wanted by US In Gurpatwant Pannun Murder Plot

The highest court in the Czech Republic has stayed the lower courts' rulings that permitted the extradition of Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national indicted by the United States for allegedly planning to kill Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, The Indian Express reported.

The interim decision means "the Minister of Justice cannot decide on extradition or refusal until the Constitutional Court decides on the merits of the complaint filed by Nikhil Gupta",
spokesperson of the Czech Ministry of justice Markéta Andrová told the daily.

Gupta was arrested in Prague, the Czech Republic on June 30, 2023. The US government is seeking his extradition to America under a treaty.

Last November, Gupta was charged by US federal prosecutors in connection with his participation in a foiled plot to assassinate a Sikh separatist on American soil.

Nikhil Gupta, 52, has been charged with murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Matthew G. Olsen said.

In January 2024, A Czech high court ruled that the Indian national can be extradited to the US.

On the other hand, India has already constituted a probe committee to investigate the allegations.

Meanwhile, the United States has said that it is waiting to see the results of the Indian investigations on allegations related to the plot to assassinate the Sikh separatist leader.

"They (Indian government) opened a committee of inquiry to look into the matter, and that work is ongoing; we'll wait to see the results. But we made it very clear that it's something that we are taking seriously and we think they, too, should take this seriously," State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily news conference on Monday.

Responding to a question on the allegations that Indian government officials were involved in the failed plot, Miller said, "I would refer you to the Canadian authorities to speak to the details of the investigation there. With respect to the indictment that was returned in the United States, I will let the Department of Justice speak on behalf of that in detail,"

"And then the only thing further I would say: when it comes to the State Department, we had made it clear right when these allegations were first made public that it's something we think India should take very seriously and investigate," Miller added.