NEW YORK (Diya TV) — Indian national Nikhil Gupta, who stands accused of masterminding a plot to kill Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York City, is to face trial in the United States by June or July 2025.
Based on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York court documents, Judge Victor Marrero has instructed the defense and prosecution to file a joint letter setting forth a suggested trial date within this period. The parties must also detail a pretrial submission schedule and estimate the trial’s length.
Gupta, 53, was taken into custody on June 30, 2023, in Prague, Czech Republic, at the request of the U.S. government, and was extradited to the U.S. on June 14, 2024. Charges against him are conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and money laundering, for which he will face a penalty of 10 years imprisonment each.
The indictment accuses Gupta of conspiring with Vikash Yadav, a former R&AW officer for India, to plan the assassination of Pannun, an American-Canadian citizen and vocal campaigner for an independent Sikh homeland called Khalistan. In May 2023, Pannun is from India originally and has been designated a terrorist by the Indian government. Yadav recruited Gupta allegedly to arrange the murder of Pannun, which was eventually thwarted by American law enforcement agencies.
During an arraignment on October 18, 2024, Gupta pleaded not guilty to all charges. He has since remained in U.S. custody awaiting trial.
This case has created added tension in U.S.-India relations, particularly as similar claims are made in Canada where Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s murder has also been attributed to Indian agents. The U.S. has also requested Yadav’s extradition, adding to the strained diplomatic relations between the two countries.
