&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Nikhil Gupta pleaded guilty to end ‘long and exhausting’ legal battle for family: Report")
Indian national Nikhil Gupta, who pleaded guilty in a Manhattan federal court to charges of murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering in a foiled plot to assassinate Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, is reported to have done so to end ‘long and exhausting’ legal battle for himself and his family, said a report in the Indian Express.
Sources close to Gupta’s family told the media outlet that his decision to plead guilty was motivated by a desire to bring an end to a “long and exhausting” legal battle that had taken a serious emotional and financial toll on his family.
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“The family has been fighting this for so long. He would have sensed the toll it was taking on them and decided to put an end to it. He hasn’t turned approver or anything but has taken all the blame on himself, from what the family has been told by his lawyer,” says the report, citing one of the sources familiar with the family’s situation.
Gupta’s family is reported to have learned about his plea through his lawyer only on Friday, just hours before the news broke in the media. His wife and mother are in shock, struggling to process the reality that Nikhil now faces a long prison sentence.
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Gupta reportedly spoke to his family a few days before entering the plea but gave no hint about his decision.
The prolonged legal battle has put a severe financial burden on the family.
The sources cited in the report said the family had exhausted its resources while trying to retain private legal counsel in the US, ultimately requesting a government-appointed lawyer for Gupta.
Despite repeated efforts, the family said they received no support from the Indian government, despite attempts to reach out to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Gupta was arrested by Czech authorities at the Vaclav Havel Airport in Prague on June 30, 2023, while traveling from India, following a US extradition request. He was extradited to the US on June 14, 2024, and has been held in a Brooklyn jail pending trial.
The US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York confirmed that Gupta is scheduled for sentencing before US District Judge Victor Marrero on May 29, 2026. Under the plea agreement, prosecutors have recommended a sentence of 21 to 24 years.
