Nikhil Gupta

Nikhil Gupta, a 54-year-old Indian national, is at the center of a high-profile case involving an alleged plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a US-based Sikh separatist leader. Gupta has pleaded guilty in a US federal court to three criminal charges: murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. This plea comes after US prosecutors accused Gupta of being recruited by an agent of the Indian government to carry out the assassination. While New Delhi denies any government involvement, the case has sparked international attention and raised concerns about potential transnational repression. Gupta now faces a maximum of 40 years in prison. The case is significant due to its implications for US-India relations, the safety of activists abroad, and the alleged involvement of a foreign government in a plot on US soil.