The Czech Republic Police have released the first visuals of Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national accused of being involved in a murder-for-hire plot targeting Sikh extremist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil, being extradited to the United States.
Nikhil Gupta, 52, was extradited to the US on Friday, June 14, from the Czech Republic following his arrest in Prague a year ago.
In a video posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the Czech Republic Police stated, “The foreigner suspected in the United States of an assassination plot has been in the hands of the US judiciary since Friday.” The video shows Nikhil Gupta, with his face blurred, being escorted onto a plane.
Od pátku je cizinec podezřelý v USA ze spiknutí za účelem spáchání nájemné vraždy v rukou americké justice. Spolupráce policistů cizinecké policie, ředitelství pro mezinárodní policejní spolupráci a kolegů z USA umožnilo bezpečnou extradici z pražského letiště. #policiepp pic.twitter.com/492NKyltjd
— Policie ČR (@PolicieCZ) June 17, 2024
Czech justice minister Pavel Blazek confirmed Gupta’s extradition, saying, “On the basis of my decision on June 3, Indian citizen Nikhil Gupta, who is suspected of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire with intent to cause death, was extradited to the US on Friday, June 14, for criminal prosecution,” in a post on X.
Gupta was detained at the Prague airport on June 30, 2023, under extradition orders issued by the US Justice Department. The department noted that the target of the alleged plot, Pannun, is a vocal critic of the Indian government and leads a US-based organization advocating for the secession of Punjab.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs announced the formation of a “high-level” inquiry committee to investigate the case. In May, the Czech constitutional court cleared Gupta’s extradition.
On Monday, Nikhil Gupta pleaded not guilty in a federal court in New York. He was arrested in the Czech Republic last year at the request of the US government on charges of plotting to assassinate Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York. Pannun holds dual American and Canadian citizenship.
Nikhil Gupta, accused by US prosecutors of plotting with an Indian government official to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a US resident who advocated for a sovereign Sikh state in northern India, pleaded not guilty to murder-for-hire conspiracy charges https://t.co/Y5ryUYL9Nn pic.twitter.com/rv6fdsGvlp
— Reuters (@Reuters) June 18, 2024
Gupta’s attorney, Jeffrey Chabrowe, stated that Gupta pleaded not guilty and that they would pursue his defense vigorously. US federal prosecutors allege that Gupta acted on the instructions of an unnamed Indian government official. However, India has denied involvement in the case.
“This is a complex matter for both our countries,” Chabrowe told news agency PTI, emphasizing the importance of not rushing to conclusions. He added that details might emerge that could challenge the government’s allegations.
Federal prosecutors claim that Gupta hired a hitman to kill Pannun and paid $15,000 in advance. Gupta, through his attorney, has denied the charges, claiming he has been “unfairly charged.”
In April 2024, The Washington Post reported that Vikram Yadav, a Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) officer, was the Indian official behind the plot, with the then R&AW chief Samant Goel sanctioning the operation. The MEA dismissed the report, calling it “unwarranted and unsubstantiated.”
