Nikhil Gupta, Indian Accused Extradited to US From Czech Republic for Murder Plot: Report

Federal prosecutors allege that Nikhil Gupta hired a hitman to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Gupta, 52, was arrested in the Czech Republic last year at the request of the US government on charges of being involved in a plot to assassinate Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. He is expected to be produced before a federal court in New York on Monday. Gupta is currently lodged at the federal Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, where he is listed as an inmate.

The Washington Post was the first news outlet to report his extradition. According to sources familiar with the matter, Gupta, who had been detained in the Czech Republic, arrived in New York over the weekend. Typically, extradited defendants must appear in court within a day of their arrival in the country. Federal prosecutors allege that Gupta hired a hitman to kill Pannun and paid USD 15,000 in advance.

They allege that an unnamed Indian government official was involved in it. Gupta’s extradition comes ahead of the New Delhi visit of US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan for the annual ICET dialogue. The issue is expected to be raised by Sullivan before his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval. India has denied its involvement in the case and has instituted an investigation into the allegations.

Gupta through his attorney has denied the charges and has said that he has been “unfairly charged.” In a petition to the Indian Supreme Court, his attorney Rohini Musa complained that Gupta received adverse legal advice from a Czech government-appointed attorney “under the undue influence of … U.S. Agencies” during the initial phase of his detention. This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.