US charges Indian national Nikhil Gupta with conspiracy to assassinate Sikh separatist
- Prosecutors say Gupta worked with an Indian government official in the unsuccessful bid to murder a US citizen living in New York
- The target of the plot was described as a vocal critic of the Indian government who leads a US-based organisation that advocates for the secession of Punjab
An Indian government official directed an unsuccessful plot to assassinate a Sikh separatist, who is also an American citizen, on US soil, the US Justice Department said on Wednesday, in announcing charges against a man accused of orchestrating the attempted murder.
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan said Nikhil Gupta, 52, worked with the Indian government employee, whose responsibilities included security and intelligence, on the plot to assassinate the New York resident who advocated for a Sikh sovereign state in northern India.
Prosecutors did not name the Indian official or the target, although they did describe the latter as a US citizen of Indian origin. US officials have named him as Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a dual citizen of the United States and Canada. Gupta was arrested by Czech authorities in June and is awaiting extradition. He could not be reached for comment.
“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,” Damian Williams, the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan, said in a statement.
The Indian official is described in the related indictment as a “Senior Field Officer” with responsibilities in “Security Management” and “Intelligence” employed by the Indian government who “directed the plot from India”.