US charges Indian national with conspiracy to assassinate Khalistani separatist Pannun

The United States on Wednesday (Nov 29) charged an Indian national with murder-for-hire over a conspiracy to assassinate an American citizen of Indian origin who has publicly advocated for the establishment of a sovereign state for Sikhs, the US attorney's office in Manhattan said in a statement.

US Attorney Damian Williams announced charges against Nikhil Gupta, who was arrested by Czech authorities in the month of June this year in conformance to the bilateral extradition treaty between the United States and the Czech Republic.

"The defendant conspired from India to assassinate, right here in New York City, a US citizen of Indian origin who has publicly advocated for the establishment of a sovereign state for Sikhs," Damian Williams, the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan, said in a statement.

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The official further stated that Khalistani separatist and leader of the banned Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) outfit Gurpatwant Singh Pannun was the target of the alleged assassination plot, who is a dual citizen of the United States and Canada.

Gupta was involved in narcotics and weapons trafficking, alleged indictment

The indictment alleged that the foiled plot was orchestrated by an Indian government agency employee who diversely described himself as a “Senior Field Officer” with responsibilities in “Security Management” and “Intelligence,” and also claimed to have served previously in India’s Central Reserve Police Force and receiving “officer training” in “battle craft” and “weapons".

It said that Gupta was involved in narcotics and weapons trafficking before he was hired to pursue the assassination of the target.

Gupta, it alleged, was introduced to a purported hitman who could murder the target.

The charges come after a senior Biden administration official last week released a statement saying that the US had thwarted a plot to kill a Sikh separatist.

These accusations come in the backdrop of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleging that the Indian government was involved in the killing of Canada-based Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia.

Indian External Affairs Ministry also released a statement on Wednesday saying that it was looking into US reports on the alleged "nexus between organised criminals, gun runners, terrorists and others".

(With inputs from agencies)