WASHINGTON: In a significant courtroom development, Indian national Nikhil Gupta on Friday pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection with a thwarted plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a US citizen and pro-Khalistan separatist leader.
Gupta, 54, appeared before US magistrate judge Sarah Netburn and admitted to three counts: murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The plea represents a sharp shift from Gupta’s earlier position. Following his extradition from the Czech Republic in June 2024, he had maintained his innocence. Legal observers say the decision to change his plea likely followed the weight of evidence gathered by federal prosecutors.
The trial had been scheduled to begin on March 30 and was expected to include intercepted phone calls and electronic messages that allegedly tied Gupta directly to the conspiracy. According to prosecutors, Gupta negotiated a payment of $100,000 with an individual he believed to be a contract killer, who was in fact an undercover US law enforcement agent.
Senior US district judge Victor Marrero is expected to fix a date for sentencing in the coming months.
The indictment also names Vikash Yadav, described as a former official of India’s external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW). US authorities allege that Yadav recruited Gupta and directed him to help coordinate the planned assassination.
A federal arrest warrant was issued against Yadav in late 2024, but he remains in India. The Indian government has confirmed that Yadav is no longer employed by it, though it has not indicated any move toward extradition.
An internal Indian inquiry acknowledged that the former official had “criminal links” but characterised the episode as a “rogue” operation, rejecting any suggestion of state sponsorship.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun serves as general counsel of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a pro-Khalistan organisation. In recent months, he has drawn attention for organising so-called Khalistan referendums in several US cities, issuing calls to boycott Air India, and announcing monetary rewards for anti-India activities. These actions have led India’s National Investigation Agency to register fresh terror-related cases against him.
