After Indian national Nikhil Gupta pleaded guilty in the US of a plot to assassinate Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, an American citizen, US agencies have released a statement detailing their charges against Gupta.
Detailing the case as investigated by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Justice alleged a link between the planned killing of Pannun, and the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, another Khalistani separatist, in British Columbia, Canada. Nijjar was a Canadian citizen.
It said that Gupta’s handler was a then-employee of the Indian government, Vikash Yadav, and Gupta had furthered hired a hitman. Gupta hired this “hitman” was actually an undercover US agent — which is how the plot got busted.
How the plot was hatched
Gupta directed this hitman/agent “to carry out the murder as soon as possible… but also specifically instructed (the hitman/agent) not to commit the murder around the time of the Indian Prime Minister’s official state visit to the United States, which was scheduled to begin on or about June 20, 2023,” as per an indictment, as cited in a statement by the US Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York, after Gupta pleaded guilty on Friday.
“On or about June 18, 2023, approximately two days before the Indian Prime Minister’s state visit to the United States, masked gunmen murdered Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia, Canada,” it noted.
The Indian government has categorically denied any link to these cases.
The US agency says Nijjar was an associate of “the victim”, meaning Pannun; “and, like the Victim, was a leader of the Sikh separatist movement and an outspoken critic of the Indian government”.
“On or about June 19, 2023, the day after the Nijjar murder, Gupta told the (hitan/undercover agent) that Nijjar ‘was also the target’ and ‘we have so many targets’. Gupta also added that, in light of Nijjar’s murder, there was ‘now no need to wait’ on killing the Victim (Pannun),” it further said.
It said Yadav had recruited Gupta “to orchestrate the assassination” in the United States in May of 2023.
“At Yadav’s direction, Gupta contacted an individual whom Gupta believed to be a criminal associate, but who was in fact a confidential source working with the DEA”, the US Drug Enforcement Administration.
This agent introduced Gupta to a purported hitman, who was in fact a DEA undercover officer (‘UC’).
How much money was involved
“Yadav subsequently agreed, in dealings brokered by Gupta, to pay the UC (purported hitman) $100,000 to murder” Pannun.
“On or about June 9, 2023, Yadav and Gupta arranged for an associate to deliver $15,000 in cash… as an advance payment for the murder,” it traced.
Thereafter Yadav provided Gupta with personal information about Pannun, including his home address in New York City, phone numbers associated with him, and details about his day-to-day conduct, “which Gupta then passed to the UC” (underover agent who he though was his hitman).
Gupta provided Yafav with regular updates on the assassination plot, including surveillance photographs of Pannun, as per the statement; “but Gupta also specifically instructed the UC not to commit the murder around the time of the Indian Prime Minister’s official state visit to the United States, which was scheduled to begin on or about June 20, 2023.”
On June 30, 2023, Gupta was arrested in the Czech Republic and subsequently extradited to the United States.
On Friday, Gupta, 54, pleaded guilty to murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. However, reports said he could get a lower sentence for entering the guilty plea and possibly assisting further probe.
What Indian govt has said
Canada had alleged that India was linked both to Nijjar’s killing and to the plot against Pannun. India rejected any role in either case.
The two countries have since had a thaw and are set for wider trade relations. India and the US have also recently agreed to a trade deal, with PM Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump stressing their friendship. Canada has also seen a government in the meantime, and PM Mark Carney is headed to India soon.
As for alleged handler Vikash Yadav, the US justice department officially charged him in October 2024.
He is still in India and has not been arrested.
However, the Delhi Police have registered a separate extortion case against him.
After Yadav was formally indicted in 2024, India’s ministry of external affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “The US State Department informed us that the individual in the Justice Department indictment is no longer employed by India. I confirm that he is no longer an employee of the Government of India.”
Gupta’s sentencing is set for May.
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