 "What is Nikhil Gupta’s role in Pannun ‘murder plot’? What happens now that he is extradited to US?")
The Czech police on Tuesday released the first video of Nikhil Gupta – the suspect in the murder-for-hire plot against Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
Pannun, who holds dual US and Canadian citizenship, is a New York-based Sikh secessionist leader who advocates for the creation of Khalistan.
He is the legal advisor and spokesperson for SFJ, a banned organization that seeks to achieve Khalistan through a referendum.
This comes a day after the 53-year-old Indian pleaded not guilty in a federal US court.
Gupta was extradited to the United States on 14 June after a go-ahead from Czech justice minister Pavel Blazek.
Gupta was detained at the Prague airport on 30 June, 2023, after the US justice department issued an extradition notice.
The development comes as US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is visiting New Delhi for the annual initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) dialogue with his India’s NSA Ajit Doval. But who is Gupta? And what happens next in the case?
Who is Gupta?
Gupta, 53, is also known as Nick.
According to court documents, last year, an Indian government employee (CC-1) allegedly worked together with Gupta and others in India and elsewhere to direct an assassination plot against an attorney and political activist, who is a US citizen of Indian origin, on US soil.
Federal prosecutors alleged that CC-1 recruited Gupta in May 2023 to orchestrate the assassination in the US.
Gupta is an Indian national who resides in India, and an associate of CC-1.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsIndian Express quoted US prosecutors as claiming that Gupta hired a hitman to kill Pannun.
Gupta allegedly made a payment of $15,000 advance payment in May-June 2023.
They alleged that on CC-1’s direction, Gupta contacted an individual whom he believed to be a criminal associate but he was in fact a confidential source working with the DEA (the CS) for assistance in contracting a hitman to murder the victim in New York City.
“The CS introduced Gupta to a purported hitman, who was in fact a DEA undercover officer (the UC). CC-1 subsequently agreed, in dealings brokered by Gupta, to pay the UC USD 1,00,000 to murder the victim. On or about 9 June, 2023, CC-1 and Gupta arranged for an associate to deliver USD 15,000 in cash to the UC as an advance payment for the murder. CC-1’s associate then delivered the USD 15,000 to the UC in Manhattan,” they said.
Gupta has described his involvement in international narcotics and weapons trafficking in his communications with CC-1 and others, the prosecutors claim.
CC-1 is an Indian government agency employee who has variously described himself as a “senior field officer” with responsibilities in “security management” and “intelligence” andhas referenced previously serving in India’s Central Reserve Police Force and receiving “officer training” in “battle craft” and “weapons”. CC-1 directed the assassination plot from India.
In June 2023, in furtherance of the assassination plot, CC-1 provided Gupta with personal information about the victim, including the victim’s home address, phone numbers associated with the victim and details about the victim’s day-to-day conduct, which Gupta then passed on to the UC, they added.
CC-1 directed Gupta to provide regular updates on the progress of the assassination plot, which Gupta accomplished by allegedly forwarding to CC-1, among other things, surveillance photographs of the victim.
“Gupta directed the UC to carry out the murder as soon as possible, but Gupta also specifically instructed the UC not to commit the murder around the time of anticipated engagements scheduled to occur in the ensuing weeks between high-level US and Indian government officials,” the prosecutors said.
As per Indian Express, Gupta has denied the allegations.
He has said he is being “unfairly charged.”
According to the prosecutors, after Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed outside a gurdwara in Canada on June 18, 2023, Gupta allegedly told the UC that he “was also the target” and “we have so many targets”.
Around June 20, 2023, CC-1 sent Gupta a news article about the victim and messaged him “(i)t’s (a) priority now”, the prosecutors alleged.
India has denied its involvement in such a case and instituted a high-level investigation into the allegations.
What happens next?
According to Economic Times, Gupta was produced in Manhattan federal court before Magistrate Judge James Cott on Monday.
Gupta’s attorney Jeffrey Chabrowe entered the plea of “not guilty” on his client’s behalf.
“It is extremely important that we refrain from rushing to conclusions so early in the process. Background and details will develop that may cast government allegations into an entirely new light,” Chabrowe said.
“We will pursue his defence vigorously and ensure he receives full due process, regardless of outside pressures,” he added.
“This is a matter that may test the diplomatic relationship between India and the US, depending on the court’s findings,” Chabrowe commented. “Background and details will develop that may cast government allegations into an entirely new light.”
Gupta is currently being held in a Brooklyn detention facility.
“Gupta, who had been detained in the Czech Republic, arrived in New York over the weekend, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive legal proceedings. Typically, extradited defendants must appear in court within a day of their arrival in the country,” Washington Post reported.
“Gupta’s attorney, Rohini Musa, wrote in a petition to the Indian Supreme Court that her client is being unfairly prosecuted, saying there is ‘nothing on record to link the petitioner to the massive alleged plot to assassinate the alleged victim’,” Washington Post added.
Gupta, who has been charged with murder-for-hire, faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
The case will next be heard on 28 June before judge Victor Marrero.
US Attorney-General Merrick Garland has vowed that Gupta will face justice in a US courtroom.
Garland added that the US will not tolerate attempts to harm its citizens.
“This extradition makes clear that the Justice Department will not tolerate attempts to silence or harm American citizens,” Garland said on Monday.
“Nikhil Gupta will now face justice in an American courtroom for his involvement in an alleged plot, directed by an employee of the Indian government, to target and assassinate a US citizen for his support of the Sikh separatist movement in India,” he said.
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said this murder-for-hire plot, allegedly orchestrated by an Indian government employee to kill a US citizen in New York City, was a brazen attempt to silence a political activist for exercising a quintessential American right – his freedom of speech.
“The extradition of the defendant is a vital step towards justice,” she said.
FBI Director Christopher Wray said the agency will not tolerate attempts by foreign nationals or anyone else to repress constitutionally-protected freedoms in the United States.
“We will continue to work with our partners at home and abroad to protect our citizens and these sacred rights,” he said.
With inputs from agencies
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