Guilty Plea in Assassination Conspiracy
Nikhil Gupta, aged 54, admitted guilt on Friday to a conspiracy charge involving the hiring of an assassin to eliminate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Panun in New York City this year.
Prosecutors claim that Gupta was enlisted by the Indian government to orchestrate Panun’s assassination, a point contested by Indian officials.
Panun is a U.S. citizen renowned for his critical views on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He works as a lawyer with the advocacy group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) and is aligned with the Khalistani movement, advocating for an independent Sikh state in India’s Punjab region.
The Indian authorities do not acknowledge the Khalistan movement and have faced accusations of targeting Sikh separatists outside of India. A notable case involved Khaldeep Singh Nijjar, who was murdered in Vancouver in June 2023. The incident led to significant diplomatic tensions between Canada and India after former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attributed Nijjar’s death to a direct order from India.
In a parallel claim, U.S. prosecutors assert that Gupta conspired with an Indian intelligence officer named Vikash Yadav. Gupta allegedly placed a bounty on Panun’s head and identified himself as an “international drug and arms trafficker” with connections in the U.S.
Based in India, Gupta attempted to engage contract killers while communicating with a confidential source from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). He proposed an upfront payment of $15,000 for the assassination, followed by $85,000 after it was carried out.
Prosecutors allege that Yadav supplied Gupta with vital information about Panun, including his address and phone number. Gupta expressed a desire to delay the murder to avoid coinciding with Modi’s anticipated visit to the U.S. in June 2023.
Nijjar was killed on June 18, 2023, and Gupta indicated to an undercover DEA agent that Nijjar was also a target, noting they had numerous targets and suggesting it was time to act swiftly against Panun.
Gupta was apprehended at Prague Airport in the Czech Republic on June 30, 2023, and subsequently extradited to the U.S. for trial. Yadav, who allegedly oversaw the murder-for-hire scheme from his post in India’s Cabinet Secretariat, remains at large despite being charged in Manhattan’s federal court.
By pleading guilty to multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, Gupta appears to have opted for a plea deal that may result in a minimum sentence of 20 years.
FBI Deputy Director Roman Rozavsky remarked that Panun’s free expression had rendered him a “target of transnational oppression,” asserting that Gupta’s case should send a strong warning: “If you seek to harm our people, wherever you are, we will not stop until you are brought to justice.”
James C. Barnacle Jr., FBI Assistant Director, said Gupta’s actions were coordinated with Indian officials, framing it as an effort to suppress critics of the Indian government.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton added, “Gupta thought he could operate outside this country without consequences for targeting an American citizen exercising free speech. But he was mistaken; justice will be served.”
After the hearing, Sikhs from the U.S. and Canada gathered outside the courthouse, expressing solidarity with Panun by chanting slogans and holding flags representing the Khalistan movement.
Panun described Gupta’s guilty plea as “judicial confirmation” of the Indian government’s involvement in the murder plot against him.
In a subsequent phone interview, Gupta characterized himself as merely a “foot soldier,” claiming that the Indian government was behind the funding and directives for the plot.
He expressed a fervor for the independence of Khalistan, stating he is willing to face consequences for his cause.
Interestingly, U.S. administrations, both past and present, have refrained from directly implicating Modi in the assassination conspiracy.
Indian officials expressed frustration, acknowledging their government’s designation of Panun as a “terrorist” but insisting that Gupta’s actions did not involve their direct participation. They labeled Yadav a “rogue agent,” arguing that he had no backing from the Indian government, and typically dodged media inquiries regarding the case.
