In the case involving the alleged conspiracy to murder Khalistani leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Nikhil Gupta, an Indian citizen and accused, is now being extradited to the United States from the Czech Republic, as per media reports. 

Gupta is accused in a federal court in New York of involvement in the conspiracy to murder leader of banned Khalistani outfit ‘Sikhs for Justice’, Pannun. Gupta is currently detained in the Federal Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he is held as a suspect.

Gupta was reportedly arrested in the Czech Republic on June 30 at the request of the United States. 

Who is Nikhil Gupta?

As per the US government’s allegation, Indian national Nikhil Gupta on the directions of an unidentified Indian government official, carried out the attempt of assassination of Pannun in the US. After this, the United States initiated action against Gupta. The US arrested Gupta and started preparations for extradition. 

Earlier India denied the claims of a report published in the Washington Post which claimed that a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) officer, Vikram Yadav, had instructed a hired hit team to kill the US-based separatist leader.

The report also mentioned the involvement of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief Samant Goel and Narendra Modi’s national security adviser, Ajit Doval, in the alleged assassination plot.

However, India replied, “The report in question makes unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations on a serious matter.”

Also read:

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“Unwarranted”: India refutes US media report on Pannun plot case