Washington: Indian national Nikhil Gupta, accused of being involved in a murder plot against a Sikh extremist on US soil, will now have to face justice in a US court, with Attorney General Merrick Garland saying the country will not tolerate it. Attempts to harm its citizens.
Gupta, 53, also known as Nick, was arrested and detained in the Czech Republic on June 30, 2023, at the request of the US government on charges of involvement in a conspiracy to assassinate Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York. I went. He was extradited to the US on June 14.
According to Gupta's lawyer Jeffrey Chabroway, Gupta appeared in a New York federal court on Monday, where he pleaded not guilty."This extradition makes clear that the Justice Department will not tolerate efforts to silence or harm American citizens," Garland said Monday.
He said, "Nikhil Gupta will now face justice in a US court for his involvement in an alleged plot directed by an Indian government employee to target and assassinate an American citizen for his support of the Sikh separatist movement in India. have to do it."
Gupta is accused of murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each charge. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said this murder-for-hire plot, allegedly carried out by an Indian government employee in New York City The plot to kill an American citizen was a brazen attempt to silence a political activist for exercising his quintessential American right – his freedom.of speech.
"The extradition of the defendant is an important step towards justice," he said.
FBI Director Christopher Wray said the agency will not tolerate efforts by foreign nationals or anyone else to suppress constitutionally protected freedoms in the United States. He added, "We stand ready to protect our citizens and these sacred rights. And will continue to work with our partners abroad.”
Last year, an Indian government employee (CC-1) allegedly directed a murder plot against a lawyer and political activist who is an Indian-origin US citizen in India and elsewhere, according to court documents. But worked together with Gupta and others.America's land.
A media release said Gupta, an Indian national who resides in India, is an associate of CC-1 and described his involvement in international narcotics and arms trafficking in his communications with CC-1 and others. CC-1 is an employee of an Indian government agency, who describes himself as a "Senior Field Officer" with responsibilities in "security management" and "intelligence" and has previously served in the Central Reserve Police Force of India. And made reference to receiving "officer training". "Warcraft" and "Weapons". It said that CC-1 had directed the murder conspiracy from India.
Federal prosecutors alleged that CC-1 recruited Gupta in May 2023 to plot an assassination in the US.Federal prosecutors said Pannun is a vocal critic of the Indian government and leads a U.S.-based organization that advocates secession of Punjab, a state in northern India that is home to the Sikhs, an ethnic minority group in India. It is home to a large population of. .They alleged that, at the direction of CC-1, Gupta contacted an individual whom he believed to be a criminal associate, but who was actually a member of the DEA ( CS). City.
"The CS introduced Gupta to an alleged hitman, who was actually a DEA undercover officer (UC). CC-1 later agreed to pay UC USD 1,00,000 for the murder of the victim with Gupta's mediation.On or about June 9, 2023, CC-1 and Gupta arranged for an associate to deliver US$15,000 in cash to UC as advance payment for the murder, then CC-1's associate delivered the $15,000 to UC in Manhattan. Deliver US dollars.
In June 2023, in furtherance of the murder conspiracy, CC-1 provided Gupta with personal information about the victim, including the victim's home address, phone numbers associated with the victim, and information about the victim's day-to-day conduct. Details were included, which Gupta then recorded. This was forwarded to the UC, he added. CC-1 instructed Gupta to provide regular updates on the progress of the murder plot, which Gupta allegedly did by, among other things, providing surveillance photos of the victim to CC-1. Completed by forwarding.
"Gupta directed the UC to carry out the assassination as soon as possible, but Gupta also specifically instructed the UC to carry out the assassination around the time of anticipated conversations between high-level US and Indian government officials in the coming weeks. Must not be murdered." prosecutors said.
According to prosecutors, after the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a gurudwara in Canada on June 18, 2023, Gupta reportedly told UC that he too "was a target" and "we have a lot of targets". Around June 20, 2023, CC-1 sent Gupta a news article about the victim and messaged her "now my priority," prosecutors allege.
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, 53, also known as Nick, was arrested and detained in the Czech Republic on June 30, 2023, at the request of the US government on charges of involvement in a conspiracy to assassinate Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York. I went. He was extradited to the US on June 14.
According to Gupta's lawyer Jeffrey Chabroway, Gupta appeared in a New York federal court on Monday, where he pleaded not guilty."This extradition makes clear that the Justice Department will not tolerate efforts to silence or harm American citizens," Garland said Monday.
He said, "Nikhil Gupta will now face justice in a US court for his involvement in an alleged plot directed by an Indian government employee to target and assassinate an American citizen for his support of the Sikh separatist movement in India. have to do it."
Gupta is accused of murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each charge. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said this murder-for-hire plot, allegedly carried out by an Indian government employee in New York City The plot to kill an American citizen was a brazen attempt to silence a political activist for exercising his quintessential American right – his freedom.of speech.
"The extradition of the defendant is an important step towards justice," he said.
FBI Director Christopher Wray said the agency will not tolerate efforts by foreign nationals or anyone else to suppress constitutionally protected freedoms in the United States. He added, "We stand ready to protect our citizens and these sacred rights. And will continue to work with our partners abroad.”
Last year, an Indian government employee (CC-1) allegedly directed a murder plot against a lawyer and political activist who is an Indian-origin US citizen in India and elsewhere, according to court documents. But worked together with Gupta and others.America's land.
A media release said Gupta, an Indian national who resides in India, is an associate of CC-1 and described his involvement in international narcotics and arms trafficking in his communications with CC-1 and others. CC-1 is an employee of an Indian government agency, who describes himself as a "Senior Field Officer" with responsibilities in "security management" and "intelligence" and has previously served in the Central Reserve Police Force of India. And made reference to receiving "officer training". "Warcraft" and "Weapons". It said that CC-1 had directed the murder conspiracy from India.
Federal prosecutors alleged that CC-1 recruited Gupta in May 2023 to plot an assassination in the US.Federal prosecutors said Pannun is a vocal critic of the Indian government and leads a U.S.-based organization that advocates secession of Punjab, a state in northern India that is home to the Sikhs, an ethnic minority group in India. It is home to a large population of. .They alleged that, at the direction of CC-1, Gupta contacted an individual whom he believed to be a criminal associate, but who was actually a member of the DEA ( CS). City.
"The CS introduced Gupta to an alleged hitman, who was actually a DEA undercover officer (UC). CC-1 later agreed to pay UC USD 1,00,000 for the murder of the victim with Gupta's mediation.On or about June 9, 2023, CC-1 and Gupta arranged for an associate to deliver US$15,000 in cash to UC as advance payment for the murder, then CC-1's associate delivered the $15,000 to UC in Manhattan. Deliver US dollars.
In June 2023, in furtherance of the murder conspiracy, CC-1 provided Gupta with personal information about the victim, including the victim's home address, phone numbers associated with the victim, and information about the victim's day-to-day conduct. Details were included, which Gupta then recorded. This was forwarded to the UC, he added. CC-1 instructed Gupta to provide regular updates on the progress of the murder plot, which Gupta allegedly did by, among other things, providing surveillance photos of the victim to CC-1. Completed by forwarding.
"Gupta directed the UC to carry out the assassination as soon as possible, but Gupta also specifically instructed the UC to carry out the assassination around the time of anticipated conversations between high-level US and Indian government officials in the coming weeks. Must not be murdered." prosecutors said.
According to prosecutors, after the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a gurudwara in Canada on June 18, 2023, Gupta reportedly told UC that he too "was a target" and "we have a lot of targets". Around June 20, 2023, CC-1 sent Gupta a news article about the victim and messaged her "now my priority," prosecutors allege.
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.
