The family of Nikhil Gupta, a 52-year-old Delhi-based businessman currently in Czech custody, has filed a petition with the Supreme Court of India, challenging the circumstances of his arrest. Gupta stands accused, on the behest of the US, of plotting to assassinate US-based Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
The petition alleges irregularities in Gupta’s arrest, highlighting the absence of a formal arrest warrant and the involvement of self-claimed US agents rather than local Czech authorities. Furthermore, Gupta, a devout Hindu and vegetarian, claims to have been forced to consume beef and pork during his detention, a direct violation of his religious beliefs. He has reportedly spent over 100 days in solitary confinement.
The petition outlines several points of contention:
1. Absence of Arrest Warrant:Gupta asserts that he was not presented with any formal arrest warrant during the initial detention. Instead, individuals purporting to represent US interests took custody of him.
2. Solitary Confinement: Gupta has been kept in solitary confinement for an extended period, raising concerns about the conditions of his detainment.
3. Forced Consumption of Meat: As a devout Hindu and vegetarian, Gupta alleges that he was compelled to consume beef and pork against his religious beliefs during his custody in Czech Republic.
4. Denial of Rights: The petitioner claims that he was denied consular access, the right to contact his family in India, and the freedom to seek legal representation.
The family describes Nikhil Gupta as a law-abiding and peaceful citizen of the Republic of India, residing in New Delhi with his family. The petition contends that the recent leaks of confidential information regarding Gupta’s case in New York, US, pose an imminent threat to his life and well-being in Czech Republic, as well as to his family in Delhi.
In November, the US Justice Department charged Nikhil Gupta in connection with a foiled plot to assassinate a US citizen of Indian origin in New York. The document identified Gupta as the individual in touch with an Indian government employee on the assassination plot, accusing him of involvement in international narcotics and weapons trafficking.
