New York (US): An Indian national pleaded guilty in the United States to orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot aimed at assassinating a US citizen and Khalistani terrorist, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, in New York City.
The US Department of Justice reportedly stated Nikhil Gupta (54) entered a guilty plea on Thursday before a federal magistrate judge in Manhattan. Gupta admitted to charges of murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, 2026, and faces a maximum possible sentence of 40 years in prison, although the final term will be decided by the court.
Gupta Acted On Indian Govt Employee's Direction, Reveals Probe
According to an NDTV report citing US prosecutors, Gupta acted at the direction of an Indian government employee to arrange the killing of a US citizen of Indian origin who is an attorney and political activist based in New York. While court documents refer to the intended target as the victim, the individual is widely understood to be Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh separatist figure.
Pannun has been designated a terrorist by Indian authorities under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, with New Delhi accusing him of promoting violence and secessionist activities through calls for a separate Sikh state, Khalistan.
US filings allege that in 2023, Gupta was recruited by Vikash Yadav, described as an employee of India’s Cabinet Secretariat, which houses the country’s foreign intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing. Acting on Yadav’s instructions, Gupta allegedly attempted to hire a hitman to carry out the assassination on US soil.
Unaware that the individuals he contacted were cooperating with law enforcement, Gupta is accused of negotiating a payment of USD 100,000 for the killing, arranging a USD 15,000 advance and sharing detailed personal information about the target, including addresses, phone numbers and daily movements. The plot was foiled through an operation involving the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to the report, prosecutors said Gupta also suggested delaying the killing to avoid overlapping with the Indian Prime Minister’s state visit to the US in June 2023. After the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada later that month, Gupta allegedly indicated there was no need to wait.
Gupta was arrested in the Czech Republic in June 2023 and extradited to the US in 2024. India had set up a high-level internal panel in November 2023 to examine the allegations, saying it took them seriously while rejecting claims of state-sponsored involvement. New Delhi’s response to Gupta’s guilty plea is awaited.
