30-11-2023 (NEW YORK) The United States Justice Department announced charges on November 29 against a man accused of planning the assassination of a Sikh separatist residing in New York City. According to federal prosecutors in Manhattan, Nikhil Gupta, 52, collaborated with an Indian government official responsible for security and intelligence in orchestrating the attempted murder.
Although the Indian official and the target’s names were not disclosed, prosecutors revealed that the target is a US citizen of Indian origin named Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who holds dual citizenship in the United States and Canada.
Gupta, who was apprehended by Czech authorities in June, is currently awaiting extradition. Attempts to obtain a comment from him have been unsuccessful.
Damian Williams, the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan, stated, “The defendant conspired from India to assassinate, right here in New York City, a US citizen of Indian origin who has publicly advocated for the establishment of a sovereign state for Sikhs.”
These charges come after a senior official in the Biden administration disclosed last week that a plot to kill a Sikh separatist in the United States had been foiled. The administration issued a warning to India regarding concerns of its involvement in the assassination plot.
President Biden instructed CIA Director Bill Burns to communicate with his Indian counterpart and subsequently travel to India to convey the message that such activities would not be tolerated and that those responsible must face full accountability, according to a senior US official on November 29.
During the G20 summit, President Biden raised the issue with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, emphasizing the gravity of the situation and the potential consequences for their bilateral relationship if similar threats persisted. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken also engaged in discussions with India’s foreign minister regarding the matter.
To aid in an internal investigation, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines traveled to India, as stated by the official.
This issue presents a delicate situation for both India and the Biden administration as they seek to strengthen their ties in the face of an increasingly influential China, which is perceived as a threat to both democracies.
The Washington embassy of India and its foreign ministry have not yet responded to requests for comments. However, earlier on November 29, India’s foreign ministry expressed its commitment to formally investigate the concerns raised by the United States, acknowledging the significance of such inputs to their national security interests. The ministry pledged to take necessary follow-up action based on the findings of the panel established on November 18.
According to an Indian official familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to Reuters, the US began expressing its concerns and providing related details to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government as early as April. The issue was also discussed during the 2+2 dialogue on November 10, where US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met their Indian counterparts.
This revelation comes two months after Canada made claims of “credible” allegations connecting Indian agents to the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in a Vancouver suburb in June, allegations that India has refuted.
Prosecutors allege that the Indian official recruited Gupta in May 2023 to carry out the assassination. Gupta had reportedly informed the official of his previous involvement in drug and weapon trafficking, according to prosecutors.
Gupta then sought assistance from an individual he believed to be a criminal associate in hiring a hitman. However, this associate turned out to be an undercover agent from the Drug Enforcement Administration, as revealed by prosecutors.
Prosecutors further stated that a day after Nijjar’s killing, Gupta messaged the undercover DEA agent, mentioning that Nijjar was also a target and claiming, “we have so many targets.”
Gupta is facing charges of murder-for-hire and murder-for-hire conspiracy. If convicted, he could receive a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.
The Indian government has expressed concern about the presence of Sikh separatist groups outside of India, including in Canada and the United States. These groups have sustained the movement for Khalistan, advocating for an independent Sikh state separate from India.
The movement is regarded as a security threat by the Indian government. Sikh militants were held responsible for the 1985 bombing of an Air India Boeing 747 en route from Canada to India, resulting in the deaths of all 329 people on board.
At present, the cause has minimal support within India and was suppressed by the government in the 1990s.
