Who is Nikhil Gupta?
Nikhil Gupta, also known as 'Nick,' has acknowledged his past involvement in the international trade of narcotics and weapons. His apprehension occurred
in June 2023 by Czech authorities, acting upon a request from the United States government, which subsequently led to his extradition to the US. Gupta was accused by US prosecutors of orchestrating a plan to hire an assassin to eliminate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a notable Khalistani separatist leader and a US citizen who is designated as a terrorist in India under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The initial indictment suggested that Gupta was recruited by an individual identified as 'CC-1,' who is described as a "senior field officer" with intelligence responsibilities within the Indian government, and that Gupta was collaborating with others in this assassination scheme. He has been detained in Brooklyn since his extradition and had initially entered a plea of not guilty to all charges levied against him.
The Charges Unveiled
The US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York outlined the conspiracy, which reportedly began in May 2023. According to court documents, Gupta was approached by Vikash Yadav, who is described as a co-accused and an employee of India’s Cabinet Secretariat, an entity overseeing the nation's external intelligence service, RAW. US prosecutors allege that Gupta was tasked with planning the assassination of Pannun on American soil. In executing this directive, Gupta reportedly contacted an individual he believed to be a criminal associate to arrange a contract killing. Unbeknownst to Gupta, this contact was actually a confidential informant working with the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). This informant then facilitated Gupta's connection with an undercover DEA officer who was posing as a hired assassin. The indictment specifically states that in or around 2023, Gupta collaborated with individuals both in India and elsewhere, including co-defendant Vikash Yadav, an Indian government employee, to plot the assassination of an attorney and political activist referred to as 'the victim.' Gupta and the undercover officer allegedly agreed on a price of $100,000, or approximately Rs 90.56 lakh, for the assassination, with an initial payment of $15,000, or about Rs 13.58 lakh, provided upfront. Following this agreement, Yadav furnished Gupta with the target's personal information, such as his home address, phone numbers, and daily routines in New York City. In June, 'CC-1' also shared Pannun's personal details with Gupta, who then relayed this information to the undercover officer. 'CC-1' also instructed Gupta to provide ongoing progress reports on the assassination plot. Significantly, in the aftermath of Hardeep Singh Nijjar's killing in June, Gupta reportedly informed the undercover officer that there was "now no need to wait" to proceed with the assassination of Pannun.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
Appearing before Federal Judge Sarah Netburn in Manhattan, Nikhil Gupta formally entered a guilty plea to three distinct charges: murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The sentencing for Gupta is scheduled to take place on May 29, 2026, with US District Judge Victor Marrero presiding over the proceedings. Gupta faces a potential maximum prison sentence of 40 years. However, Judge Marrero will have the ultimate discretion in determining the precise length of his punishment, taking into account various contributing factors throughout the legal process.
