Indian man charged in New York with plotting movie-style murder of activist

U.S. federal prosecutors announced Wednesday they have charged Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national who is accused of conspiring with Indian government officials to assassinate a U.S. citizen who had called for a Sikh homeland to be carved out of India, with murder for hire. did.

The case could have geopolitical implications as India is seen as an increasingly important counterweight to China in the United States. The Indian government said it was taking the situation seriously. In September, relations between Canada and India were strained when Canada alleged that the Indian government was behind the shooting of a Sikh separatist in Canada, an accusation that New Delhi denies.

U.S. prosecutors announced that 52-year-old Indian suspect Gupta, also known as “Nick,” was arrested in the Czech Republic on June 30, 2023, in a joint effort between the U.S. and international law enforcement agencies.

“As alleged, the defendants conspired from India to assassinate here in New York City an Indian American who had publicly advocated for the establishment of a sovereign state for India’s Sikh ethnic and religious minority,” said U.S. Attorney Damian. said. Mr. Williams said in his statement.

“I am grateful that my office and our law enforcement partners neutralized this deadly and outrageous threat. We will not tolerate efforts to assassinate Americans on U.S. soil and We stand ready to investigate, stop and prosecute those who seek to harm and silence our people, both here and abroad. ”

newsweek Neither Mr. Gupta nor his lawyer could be reached for comment. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York also emphasized that defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

U.S. law enforcement claimed that Mr. Gupta, in collaboration with unnamed Indian officials, sought out suspected criminal associates to arrange the hiring of hitmen.

Unbeknownst to Mr. Gupta, the person he contacted turned out to be a confidential source for U.S. law enforcement. The undercover agent then facilitated a relationship between Mr. I mediated. The indictment showed a photo of one payment.

“Murder-for-hire is a movie crime, but the plot in this case was all too real,” said James Smith, assistant director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York field office.

Mr. Gupta, who is said to be a key figure in the conspiracy, was arrested abroad as part of a conspiracy led by Indian government officials, who described themselves as having a “security” and “intelligence” role. It was revealed that he referred to himself as a “senior colonel”. Department of Justice. The name or location of the alleged Indian official has not been disclosed.

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Director Ann Milgram said the DEA also helped thwart the plot.

Concerns

U.S. authorities initially revealed that an assassination plot against a Sikh separatist in the United States had failed on Nov. 22. US President Joe Biden’s administration has expressed concerns to India about possible government involvement, an Indian government official said. newsweek.

Indian authorities acknowledged that they had received a report from the United States about the incident and announced that they would launch a high-level investigation.

“In the course of recent discussions on India-US security cooperation, the US side shared several pieces of information regarding ties between organized criminals, gun traffickers, terrorists, etc. These pieces of information are a cause for concern for both countries. Both countries have decided to take necessary follow-up actions,” Indian Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagki said in a media briefing.

“For India’s side, we take such inputs seriously as they also affect our own national security interests. Issues related to US inputs have already been addressed by the relevant ministries. It is being considered.”

Gurpatwant Singh Panun, leader of the banned Khalistan group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), was allegedly the target of a thwarted assassination plot, according to Reuters and other media reports. . He has been charged with terrorism in India due to separatist calls.

Mr. Panun recently drew widespread condemnation in Canada after urging Indian Canadian Hindus to leave Canada in a video titled “Leave Canada, Indian Hindus, go to India.” He also sparked outrage by warning Sikhs not to fly on Air India on the day of the Cricket World Cup final, warning they could be at risk.

newsweek Panun could not be reached for comment.