Indian Man Charged with Alleged Murder-for-Hire Plot Targeting Sikh Activist in the US
Indian man charged by US prosecutors for plotting murder of Sikh activist in New York City; indictment reveals shocking assassination attempt
A 52-year-old Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, has been charged by US federal prosecutors for his involvement in an alleged murder-for-hire scheme to assassinate a Sikh political activist in New York City. An indictment unsealed on Wednesday revealed that Gupta paid $100,000 to an undercover officer, whom he believed to be a hitman, to target the victim. The victim is described as a US citizen who is an attorney and a vocal critic of the Indian government, but remains unnamed in the indictment.
According to US officials familiar with the case, the victim is Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the leader of "Sikhs for Justice," a New York-based organization that has advocated for a separate Khalistan state through referendums. The organization is deemed unlawful in India and its website is inaccessible there. Gupta, who has been charged with murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, was arrested in the Czech Republic in June of this year and is being held in accordance with a bilateral extradition treaty.
The authorities claim that Gupta collaborated with an Indian government official who identified himself as a "senior field officer" with intelligence duties and allegedly orchestrated the assassination plot from India.
This story has been revised to include more information.
