Nikhil Gupta: The Indian Citizen Linked to Alleged Khalistani Murder Plot

In a landmark case announced by US authorities, 54-year-old Indian national Nikhil Gupta pleaded guilty to planning the murder of a US citizen in New York City.

Gupta admitted to all of the counts against him, including murder-for-hire, conspiracy to conduct murder-for-hire, and money laundering.

His activities were part of a planned killing of a US citizen and Khalistani terrorist, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York City.

In November 2023, US Justice Department authorities announced accusations against Gupta. He was arrested in the Czech Republic in June 2023 and then deported to New York for prosecution.

Officials stated that Nikhil Gupta, popularly known as “Nick,” pleaded guilty before US Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn. He will be sentenced by US District Judge Victor Marrero on May 29.

Nikhil Gupta Role and Links in India

Gupta is a citizen of India and had lived there before being arrested. He portrayed himself as an international narcotics and weapons trader. A prominent individual associated with him was Vikash Yadav, a co-defendant. Yadav worked for the Government of India’s Cabinet Secretariat, which contains India’s foreign intelligence branch, the Research and Analysis Wing.

According to the US Attorney’s Office, Yadav approached Gupta in May 2023 to assist in the planning of the assassination in the United States. Gupta followed Yadav’s instructions and contacted someone he suspected of being a criminal associate. However, the individual revealed out to be a DEA confidential source (CS).

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The anonymous source linked Gupta to an alleged hitman, who turned out to be a DEA undercover officer. Yadav eventually agreed to pay $100,000 to the undercover police to carry out the killing, as arranged by Gupta.

On June 9, 2023, Yadav and Gupta planned for an acquaintance to give $15,000 in cash to the undercover officer as an advance payment.

Yada also gave Gupta Pannun’s home address, phone numbers, and details regarding his daily activities.

Gupta sent this information to the undercover officer and kept Yadav updated on the plan, even sending surveillance images of Pannun.

The US Attorney’s Office further stated that Gupta had told the undercover officer not to carry out the killing around the time of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the United States on June 20, 2023.

The Nijjar Murder

On June 18, 2023, masked gunmen killed Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist leader and Pannun associate, outside a Sikh temple in Canada. The following day, Gupta informed the undercover officer that Nijjar “was also the target.” He continued, “We have so many targets.” He stated that because Nijjar had been killed, there was “now no need to wait” to murder the victim in New York, according to a news release from the United States Attorney’s Office.

Arrest & Charges

Gupta was detained in the Czech Republic on June 30, 2023, and then extradited to the United States. He pleaded guilty to murder-for-hire (maximum ten years in jail), conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire (maximum ten years), and conspiracy to commit money laundering (maximum twenty years). Gupta faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in jail.