New Delhi, The Ministry of Justice of the Czech Republic has confirmed the provisional custody and arrest of Indian national Nikhil Gupta at the request of the United States. Gupta stands accused of involvement in a ‘murder for hire’ plot aimed at Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
The US authorities allege that Gupta, 52, conspired to kill Pannun on American soil under the direction of an unnamed Indian government employee. He was apprehended by Czech law enforcement authorities in June this year.
Vladimir Repka, spokesperson for the Czech Ministry of Justice, stated that Gupta’s arrest was made in response to the US request, which subsequently submitted an extradition plea. The charges against Gupta include conspiracy to commit murder for hire, as outlined by US authorities.
The extradition request, filed in August 2023, cites conspiracy to commit murder for hire. Following preliminary investigations, the Municipal Public Prosecution Office in Prague has moved to declare Gupta’s extradition admissible, although the decision is not yet legally binding.
The US Justice Department has charged Gupta with involvement in the alleged murder plot, asserting that an Indian government employee, in collaboration with Gupta and others, orchestrated a plan to assassinate a US citizen of Indian-origin, a political activist residing in New York City.
Gupta allegedly agreed to pay $100,000 to a hitman, with a $15,000 advance payment made on June 9, 2023. However, the intended hitman turned out to be a confidential source cooperating with US law enforcement.
In response to the charges, the Indian government has initiated an investigation, forming a high-level committee. The government labeled the US allegations as a “matter of concern” and contradictory to official policy.
