Nikhil Gupta was detained in the Czech Republic in June 2023 and extradited to the US on June 14 at the US government’s request.
Attorney General Merrick Garland stated on Monday that the extradition of Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, who is suspected of plotting to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and was foiled by American authorities, demonstrates that the US will not stand for attempts to “harm” its nationals.
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Who is Nikhil Gupta?
The US believes that Nikhil Gupta was involved in a failed effort on US soil to kill Gurpatwant Pannun, the head of the pro-Khalistan group Sikhs For Justice. He was extradited to the United States from the Czech Republic, per the federal Bureau of Prisons website and a source with knowledge of the incident. Federal prosecutors in the United States charged him with working with an official of the Indian government in an attempt to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, an American citizen who advocated for the establishment of an independent Sikh state in northern India.
When Gupta arrived in Prague from India in June of last year, he was taken into custody by Czech police. A Czech court last month rejected his bid to remain in the country, opening the door for his extradition by the Czech Republic’s minister of justice. When users searched for convicts by name on the Bureau of Prisons’ website on Sunday, they discovered that 52-year-old Gupta was being held at the Metropolitan Detention Centre, Brooklyn, a federal administrative detention facility. Gupta’s extradition and detention in Brooklyn were confirmed separately by an anonymous source with knowledge of the circumstances.
Who is Pannun?
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a dual citizen of the United States and Canada, is the founder and head of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), a pro-Khalistan organisation established in the US. He was classified as an “individual terrorist” in July 2020 by the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) following the strict Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
While the extradition was a step in the right direction, Pannun told Reuters on Sunday, “Nikhil Gupta is just a foot soldier.” He asserted that Gupta was engaged by senior Indian government officials who carry out directives from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Indian government, asserting that the plot against Pannun defies official orders, has disassociated itself from it. It has stated that it will thoroughly investigate Washington’s security concerns.
What Will Be the Proceedings Now?
Gupta will now face justice in an American courtroom for his involvement in an alleged plot to target and assassinate a US national for his support of the Sikh separatist movement in India, which an employee of the Indian government allegedly orchestrated, said the Attorney General.
The claimed murder-for-hire scheme was described as a “brazen attempt to silence a political activist for exercising his freedom of speech” by Lisa Monaco, the deputy attorney general.
“The defendant’s extradition is an essential step towards justice,” stated Monaco.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) “will not tolerate attempts by foreign nationals or anyone else to repress constitutionally-protected freedoms in the United States,” declared FBI Director Christopher Wray.
