Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, has pleaded guilty to charges related to a murder-for-hire plot targeting U.S. citizen Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York City.
Nikhil Gupta, 54, an Indian national, has pleaded guilty to three counts outlined in a Second Superseding Indictment. The charges include murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, all connected to his attempts to assassinate a U.S. citizen in New York City.
The announcement was made by Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, alongside several officials from law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and the DEA. This case highlights the serious implications of international criminal conspiracies and the commitment of U.S. authorities to uphold justice.
The intended target of Gupta’s plot is believed to be Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a U.S. citizen and prominent advocate for the Khalistan movement. Pannun has been designated a terrorist by Indian authorities under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, with accusations of promoting violence and advocating for a separate Sikh state, Khalistan.
Gupta entered his guilty plea on February 13 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn and is scheduled for sentencing by U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero on May 29, 2026. The case underscores the serious nature of the charges against him.
“Nikhil Gupta plotted to assassinate a U.S. citizen in New York City,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “He thought that from outside this country, he could kill someone in it without consequence, simply for exercising their American right to free speech. But he was wrong, and he will face justice. Our message to all nefarious foreign actors should be clear: steer clear of the United States and our people.”
FBI Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky emphasized the significance of the case, stating, “Nikhil Gupta was a key participant in a murder-for-hire plot against a U.S. citizen, a murder that was prevented thanks to the actions of U.S. law enforcement.” DEA Administrator Terrance Cole added, “It is often a slippery and dangerous slope from drug trafficking to deadly violence, as demonstrated by the murder-for-hire plot orchestrated by international narcotics and weapons trafficker Nikhil Gupta. I commend the men and women of DEA’s New York Task Force Division for their outstanding investigative work successfully foiling Gupta’s assassination plot.”
The conspiracy was reportedly orchestrated by Vikash Yadav, an employee of the Government of India’s Cabinet Secretariat, which also includes the Research and Analysis Wing. Gupta, who described himself in communications with Yadav as an international trafficker of narcotics and weapons, was recruited by Yadav in May 2023.
Unbeknownst to Gupta, the criminal associate he contacted for assistance in hiring a hitman was actually a confidential source cooperating with the DEA. This source introduced Gupta to a purported hitman, who was, in fact, a DEA undercover officer. The two agreed on a payment of $100,000 for the assassination, and on June 9, 2023, Gupta provided $15,000 in cash as a down payment in New York City. They also shared extensive information about the intended victim, including his home address, personal phone numbers, and details about his daily routines.
Gupta urged the undercover officer to carry out the murder “as soon as possible,” but he also specifically instructed him to avoid the time during the Indian Prime Minister’s official state visit to the United States, which was scheduled to begin around June 20, 2023. However, the operational landscape shifted dramatically on June 18, 2023, when Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an associate of Pannun and another leader in the Khalistan movement, was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in Canada. Following this event, Gupta indicated to the undercover officer that there was “now no need to wait.”
Gupta was arrested in the Czech Republic on June 30, 2023, and was subsequently extradited to the United States. If convicted, he faces a potential sentence of up to 40 years in prison for his involvement in this serious criminal conspiracy.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the challenges posed by international crime and the commitment of U.S. law enforcement to protect its citizens from such threats, according to India Currents.