NEW YORK (Diya TV) — A 54-year-old Indian national has pleaded guilty in federal court in Manhattan to participating in a murder-for-hire plot targeting U.S.-based Khalistani activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Nikhil Gupta entered his guilty plea in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, admitting to three felony charges: murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Federal prosecutors allege that Gupta acted at the direction of Vikash Yadav, described in court documents as an Indian government employee linked to India’s intelligence services. Yadav has been charged separately in the case and remains at large.
According to court filings, the conspiracy began in early 2023. Prosecutors say Gupta was recruited to help arrange the killing of Pannun, a U.S. and Canadian citizen who serves as general counsel for Sikhs for Justice and has publicly advocated for the creation of an independent Sikh homeland, Khalistan, carved through India. India deems Pannun a wanted terrorist.
Authorities allege that Gupta agreed to pay $100,000 for the killing and provided surveillance information about Pannun, including his home address and daily movements in New York City.
In June 2023, Gupta allegedly delivered $15,000 in cash as an advance payment in Manhattan. Unbeknownst to him, the individual he believed to be a hired assassin was actually an undercover agent working with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Investigators say the communications included instructions about timing, including directions to avoid carrying out the killing during a high-profile diplomatic visit involving Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. officials. The assassination attempt was ultimately foiled before any harm occurred.
Gupta was arrested in June 2023 in the Czech Republic at the request of U.S. authorities. He was later extradited to the United States in 2024 to face prosecution.
On February 13, 2026, Gupta formally pleaded guilty in federal court in Manhattan. He now faces a potential sentence of decades in prison, with sentencing scheduled for May 29, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero.
The case has drawn significant international attention, particularly as it follows allegations of foreign government involvement in targeting Khalistani activists abroad. U.S. officials have stated that any attempt to orchestrate violence against U.S. citizens on American soil will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Indian officials have previously denied direct involvement in such activities and have said they are cooperating with U.S. authorities in investigating the matter.
With Gupta’s guilty plea entered, the focus now turns to sentencing and the ongoing pursuit of other individuals allegedly connected to the plot.
