Who Is Nikhil Gupta? Indian National Charged For Plotting To Kill Khalistani Separatist Gurpatwant Pannun

Nikhil Gupta finds himself at the heart of an international assassination plot, with US authorities viewing the 52-year-old Indian individual as crucial in a plot to assassinate a Sikh leader within the United States. Arrested in June in the Czech Republic, Gupta faces charges related to plotting the murder of a US citizen from India. The intended victim, an outspoken critic of the Indian government and an advocate for Punjab's separatist movements, remains unnamed but is reportedly Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the leader of Sikhs for Justice, a group advocating for an independent Sikh state known as Khalistan.

"The defendant conspired from India to assassinate, right here in New York City, a US citizen of Indian origin who has publicly advocated for the establishment of a sovereign state for Sikhs," Reuters quoted federal prosecutor Damian Williams as saying in a statement.

Central to the plot is an unnamed Indian government official described as a senior field officer in security and intelligence, allegedly responsible for recruiting Gupta for the assassination plan.

According to US authorities, Gupta, brokered by this official, agreed to pay an undercover agent USD 100,000 for the killing, unaware that the agent was working for the US.

These developments have not only drawn attention but have also heightened diplomatic tensions. They echo a previous incident in Canada where a Sikh separatist leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, was killed, causing friction between Ottawa and New Delhi. The seriousness of the allegations has led the US to express deep concerns, underscoring the gravity of the situation in discussions with Indian officials.

Reportedly, Gupta indicated to undercover agents that there was no need to delay the assassination after Nijjar's killing and suggested that Nijjar was also a target, hinting at a broader scheme involving multiple targets.

Moreover, Gupta advised the supposed hitman to avoid carrying out the assassination during a period of anticipated high-level meetings between US and Indian government officials, according to the US Justice Department.

Additionally, Gupta has allegedly confessed to engaging in prior criminal activities, discussing his involvement in drug and weapon trafficking with undercover agents. He faces charges of two counts of murder-for-hire and murder-for-hire conspiracy, potentially resulting in a maximum prison sentence of 20 years if convicted.