Title: Indian National Charged in Murder-For-Hire Plot Targeting Sikh Activist in NYC
An Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire in an alarming plot to assassinate a Sikh political activist in New York City. Gupta, 52, allegedly collaborated with an unnamed Indian government official to orchestrate the assassination of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the founder of “Sikhs for Justice.”
The victim, known as an attorney and vocal critic of the Indian government, was targeted for his activism and outspoken views. Pannun, who has been labeled a terrorist by India and accused of inciting separatism, said that the attempt on his life represents a direct threat to freedom of speech and democracy.
Gupta’s arrest in June in the Czech Republic marked a significant breakthrough in the case. US officials claim that Gupta worked alongside an Indian government official who directed the murder-for-hire plot from India itself. The authorities allege that Gupta arranged a meeting with an undercover officer, who he believed to be a hitman, as part of the elaborate plan.
The case has strained relations between the US and India, especially in light of the recent assassination of another Sikh separatist in Canada, Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Gupta allegedly relayed to the supposed hitman that Nijjar was also a target. Both incidents have raised concerns about the Indian government’s potential involvement in politically motivated assassinations.
It has been revealed that an Indian government official played a role in recruiting Gupta for this deadly operation. Gupta was reportedly provided with Pannun’s personal information as well as a video showing Nijjar’s deceased body. While Gupta instructed the hitman to act quickly, he also emphasized avoiding any potential conflicts with high-level engagements between US and Indian government officials.
India has denied the allegations of its involvement in Nijjar’s assassination in Canada, but the growing evidence linking Indian government officials to these plots has raised serious questions about their implications.
As Gupta awaits extradition to face his charges in the United States, the case has drawn attention to the need for heightened security measures to protect those who courageously advocate for democracy and freedom of speech, even in the face of threats and violence. The involvement of high-ranking Indian government officials in an overseas murder-for-hire plot has brought global attention to the ongoing challenges faced by political activists around the world.
