India Refuses Consular Access Request in US Murder-For-Hire Plot Case

Nikhil Gupta was extradited to the US on June 14. The 53-year-old was arrested and detained in the Czech Republic on June 30, 2023, at the request of the US government on charges of plotting with an Indian official to kill Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York.

After his extradition, Mr Gupta was produced before a federal court in New York on Monday, where he pleaded not guilty, according to his lawyer Jeffrey Chabrowe. “We are in touch with his family,” it added.

The government has expressed concerns about the involvement of an Indian government official in the plot and has pledged to formally investigate these concerns raised by the United States. The lawyer emphasized the need to refrain from rushing to conclusions early in the process and stated that details may emerge, casting the government’s allegations in a new light.

He also asserted that they are committed to vigorously pursuing Mr Gupta’s defense and ensuring he receives full due process, regardless of outside pressures. The murder-for-hire case carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire also carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, as stated by the US Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York in a press release.