Pannun murder plot: Czech court allows Indian citizen Nikhil Gupta's US extradition

In the case of the alleged plot to kill Khalistaniterrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the top court in Czech Republic has rejected a petition by Indian national Nikhil Gupta against his extradition to the US.Now the nation's justice minister will have to take a call on the actual extradition.

Gupta, who at present is locked up in a Prague prison, is indicted by the US for plotting to kill Pannun.

"The Constitutional Court did not find any circumstance for which declaring extradition admissible would lead to a violation of any of the constitutionally guaranteed fundamental rights and freedoms," the court said on Wednesday (May 22).

It ruled that lower courts had adequately taken into account the factors that may prevent extradition.

It also repudiated arguments claiming the case was political.

"For the complainant, this brings the proceedings before the Czech courts to an end."

The top Czech court, upholding the Municipal Court and The High Court's order, stated that it has approved the decision of the general courts concerning the admissibility of extradition.

The court also kept the local court's ruling to reject Gupta’s appeal requesting release from pre-trial detention.

It declined to accept compensation for detention in the form of a monetary guarantee or ban on travel abroad.

Gupta had claimed that the courts did not review all the important events that could turn into an obstruction to extradition, as per the statement.

This comes after the US reiterated its stance on seeking accountability from the Indian government about the ongoing investigation into the murder plot of Pannun.

Addressing a briefing at the White House on April 30, State Department's Principal Deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said that there is an ongoing dialogue and that the US expects accountability from the Indian authorities.

"So we continue to expect accountability from the Government of India based on the results of the Indian inquiry committee's work, and we are regularly working with them and inquiring for additional updates," Patel said on being asked about a report by The Washington Post which named an Indian Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) official as being involved in the alleged plot.

"We'll also continue to raise our concerns directly with the Indian government at senior levels...," Patel added.

The claims made in the Washington Post report were dismissed by New Delhi. Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said last week that the report was "speculative and irresponsible".

"The report in question makes unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations on a serious matter. There is an ongoing investigation of the High-Level Committee set up by the Government of India to look into the security concerns shared by the US government on networks of organised criminals, terrorists and others," Jaiswal said.

"Speculative and irresponsible comments on it are not helpful," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)