(Image source from: Economictimes.indiatimes.com)
Indian national Nikhil Gupta, implicated in an alleged conspiracy to eliminate Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, has been transferred from the Czech Republic to the United States, as per the federal Bureau of Prisons website. Gupta, aged 52, was apprehended in the Czech Republic last year in June, following a request from the US government, for his alleged involvement in a plot to assassinate the Sikh separatist leader. He is expected to be presented before a federal court in New York on Monday. A search on the Bureau of Prisons website on Sunday revealed that Gupta is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, a federal administrative detention facility. The Washington Post, which broke the news of Gupta's extradition, reported that he arrived in New York over the weekend after being detained in the Czech Republic. Extradited defendants are typically required to appear in court within a day of their arrival in the country. Gupta reportedly traveled from India to Prague last June, leading to his arrest by the Czech authorities.
The government prosecutors in the US allege that Gupta hired a hitman to kill Pannun and paid $15,000 upfront. They also claim an unnamed Indian official was involved. India denies any involvement and has started an investigation. Gupta's lawyer, Rohini Musa, says he has been "unfairly charged" and that there is no evidence linking him to the alleged plot to assassinate the victim. Musa also complained that Gupta received poor legal advice from a Czech-appointed lawyer who was unduly influenced by US agencies during his initial detention. Last September, Canada said its intelligence agencies were looking into allegations that the Indian government was involved in the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada in June 2023. A month later, in November, US authorities stated that an Indian government official had directed the attempt to murder Pannun.
The Indian government has assembled a prominent panel in the capital to meticulously examine the information received from the United States. This panel will conduct a thorough investigation to uncover the details and veracity of the data provided by the American authorities.
