The Czech Republic Police on Monday (June 17) released the first visuals of Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national who has been extradited to the United States on suspicion of a murder-for-hire plot targeting Sikh extremist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US.
Watch | First visuals of Nikhil Gupta
In the video shared on social media platform X, Gupta, whose face has been blurred, can be seen being extradited to the US from a Prague airport on June 14.
The video was posted along with a caption in Czech language that roughly translates to “Since Friday, the foreigner suspected of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire has been in the hands of the US judiciary. The cooperation of officers of the Foreign Police, the Directorate for International Police Cooperation and colleagues from the USA enabled safe extradition from Prague Airport.”
Watch the video here:
Od pátku je cizinec podezřelý v USA ze spiknutí za účelem spáchání nájemné vraždy v rukou americké justice. Spolupráce policistů cizinecké policie, ředitelství pro mezinárodní policejní spolupráci a kolegů z USA umožnilo bezpečnou extradici z pražského letiště. #policiepp pic.twitter.com/492NKyltjd
— Policie ČR (@PolicieCZ) June 17, 2024
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Why was Nikhil Gupta in Prague?
A year ago, Nikhil Gupta was arrested in Prague under an extradition order from the US Justice Department.
Czech Justice Minister Pavel Blazek confirmed the extradition of Gupta, explaining that it was based on a decision made earlier this month.
“On the basis of my decision on (June 3), Indian citizen Nikhil Gupta, who is suspected of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire with intent to cause death, was extradited to the US on Friday (June 14) for criminal prosecution,” Blazek said in a post on X.
Charges against Nikhil Gupta
The US Justice Department has charged Gupta with a criminal case of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire with intent to cause death.
As per the Department of Justice, Gupta was after Pannun, “a vocal critic of the Indian government who leads a US-based organisation that advocates for the secession of Punjab”.
Federal prosecutors allege that Gupta was working for an unknown Indian government official who had told him to pay a $15,000 upfront payment to a hitman to get Pannun killed.
The Washington Post, in April 2024, reported that the operation was conducted at the behest of Vikram Yadav, an officer with India’s elite intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), under the command of the then-R&AW chief Samant Goel.
The Ministry of External Affairs in India, which has launched a high-level inquiry into the matter, dismissed the report and said it makes “unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations”.
Nikhil Gupta pleads ‘not guilty’
Gupta, on Monday, entered a not-guilty plea in a federal court in New York. His lawyer, Jeffrey Chabrowe, said his client denies the allegations, which he maintains are baseless.
“This is a complex matter for both our countries,” he said, adding, “It is extremely important that we refrain from rushing to conclusions so early in the process. Background and details will develop that may cast government allegations into an entirely new light.”
“We will pursue his defence vigorously and ensure he receives full due process, regardless of outside pressures.”
(With inputs from agencies)