Nikhil Gupta pleaded guilty to end 'long and exhausting' legal battle, says family: 'He took the blame'

Gupta was arrested by Czech authorities at Prague’s Vaclav Havel Airport on June 30, 2023, while traveling from India, following a US extradition request.

• Nikhil Gupta pleads guilty to murder-for-hire in US court
• Gupta faces 21 to 24 years in prison, sentencing set for May 2026
• Family faces emotional, financial strain; no help from Indian govt

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Indian national Nikhil Gupta pleaded guilty on Friday in a Manhattan federal court to charges of murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering in a foiled plot to assassinate Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York.

According to sources close to Gupta’s family, his decision to plead guilty was motivated by a desire to bring an end to a "long and exhausting" legal battle that had taken a serious emotional and financial toll on his family, reported the Indian Express.

"The family has been fighting this for so long. He would have sensed the toll it was taking on them and decided to put an end to it. He hasn’t turned approver or anything but has taken all the blame on himself, from what the family has been told by his lawyer," one of the sources familiar with the family’s situation has been cited in the report.

The family reportedly learned of Gupta’s plea only through his lawyer on Friday, just hours before the news broke in the media. His wife and mother are said to be in shock, struggling to process the reality that he now faces a likely long prison sentence.

Gupta had reportedly spoken to his family over the phone a few days before entering the plea, but gave no hints that such a decision was imminent.

The prolonged legal battle has also imposed a severe financial burden on the family.

As per the sources cited in the report, the family had exhausted their resources trying to retain private legal counsel in the US, ultimately requesting a government-appointed lawyer for Gupta.

Despite repeated efforts, the family said they received no support from the Indian government, despite attempts to reach out to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Gupta was arrested by Czech authorities at Prague’s Vaclav Havel Airport on June 30, 2023, while traveling from India, following a US extradition request. He was extradited to the U.S. on June 14, 2024, and has been held in a Brooklyn jail pending trial.

According to the US Department of Justice, Gupta acted as a middleman in a plot to assassinate Pannun, allegedly coordinating with an Indian government official identified as Vikash Yadav, a former officer of India’s external intelligence agency. Gupta reportedly offered an advance payment of $15,000 to a purported hitman, who was actually an undercover federal agent, as part of a promised $100,000 fee.

The plot is said to have been emboldened by the June 2023 killing of another Sikh separatist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Canada, highlighting concerns around transnational repression.

FBI Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky said, "Nikhil Gupta was a key participant in a murder-for-hire plot against a US citizen, a murder that was prevented thanks to the actions of US law enforcement. The US citizen became a target of transnational repression solely for exercising their freedom of speech. No matter where you are located, if you try to harm our citizens we will not stop until you are brought to justice."

The US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York confirmed that Gupta is scheduled for sentencing before US District Judge Victor Marrero on May 29, 2026. Under the plea agreement, prosecutors have recommended a sentence of 21 to 24 years.

The MEA has, meanwhile, repeatedly denied any involvement in the plot, calling the allegations "unwarranted and unsubstantiated."

Gupta had also denied any links to Yadav, and the MEA confirmed in October 2024 that Yadav was no longer a government employee. New Delhi has established a high-level inquiry committee to examine security concerns raised by the US.