London: The Czech Constitutional Court has rejected the plea of Indian national Nikhil Gupta, lodged in a Prague jail, against his extradition to the US to face murder charges in an alleged attempt to kill a Khalistani extremist on American soil.
Gupta, 52, was accused by US federal prosecutors in an indictment unsealed in November last year of working with an Indian government employee in a plot to kill Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who holds dual US and Canadian citizenship.
Gupta was arrested in Prague, Czech Republic on June 30, 2023 and is currently being held there. The US government is demanding his extradition to America.
The Czech Constitutional Court heard Gupta's petition against extradition. "The Constitutional Court finds no circumstances in which declaring extradition admissible would violate constitutionally guaranteed fundamental rights and freedoms," the court said in a statement on Wednesday.,
The court said it ruled that lower courts had given appropriate consideration to the factors that could prevent extradition. It also rejected arguments that the case was political.
“For the complainant, this brings to an end the proceedings before the Czech courts.”
The Constitutional Court said it had now confirmed the decision of the ordinary courts on the admissibility of extradition, while upholding the order of the Municipal Court and the High Court. The court also upheld the local court's decision to reject Gupta's request for release.Did not accept compensation for detention in the form of trial detention and monetary guarantees or restrictions on traveling abroad.
According to the statement, the applicant before the Constitutional Court said that the courts did not examine all the essential circumstances that could hinder extradition.
In January a Czech high court ruled that Gupta could be extradited to the US.
The final decision on Gupta's extradition will be made by Justice Minister Paweł Blazek.
The Washington Post reported in April 2024 that Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) officer Vikram Yadav was the Indian official behind the plot.The newspaper also said that then RAW chief Samant Goyal had approved the operation.
However, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs rejected the report, saying it contained "unfair and baseless allegations" claiming that Indian agents were involved in a plot to kill Pannun.
India has publicly stated that a high-level investigation is being conducted into the evidence shared by the US into the alleged conspiracy to murder Pannun.
Gupta, 52, was accused by US federal prosecutors in an indictment unsealed in November last year of working with an Indian government employee in a plot to kill Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who holds dual US and Canadian citizenship.
Gupta was arrested in Prague, Czech Republic on June 30, 2023 and is currently being held there. The US government is demanding his extradition to America.
The Czech Constitutional Court heard Gupta's petition against extradition. "The Constitutional Court finds no circumstances in which declaring extradition admissible would violate constitutionally guaranteed fundamental rights and freedoms," the court said in a statement on Wednesday.,
The court said it ruled that lower courts had given appropriate consideration to the factors that could prevent extradition. It also rejected arguments that the case was political.
“For the complainant, this brings to an end the proceedings before the Czech courts.”
The Constitutional Court said it had now confirmed the decision of the ordinary courts on the admissibility of extradition, while upholding the order of the Municipal Court and the High Court. The court also upheld the local court's decision to reject Gupta's request for release.Did not accept compensation for detention in the form of trial detention and monetary guarantees or restrictions on traveling abroad.
According to the statement, the applicant before the Constitutional Court said that the courts did not examine all the essential circumstances that could hinder extradition.
In January a Czech high court ruled that Gupta could be extradited to the US.
The final decision on Gupta's extradition will be made by Justice Minister Paweł Blazek.
The Washington Post reported in April 2024 that Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) officer Vikram Yadav was the Indian official behind the plot.The newspaper also said that then RAW chief Samant Goyal had approved the operation.
However, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs rejected the report, saying it contained "unfair and baseless allegations" claiming that Indian agents were involved in a plot to kill Pannun.
India has publicly stated that a high-level investigation is being conducted into the evidence shared by the US into the alleged conspiracy to murder Pannun.
