Who is Nikhil Gupta? Indian national who pleaded guilty in plot against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun

Gupta was arrested in the Czech Republic on June 30, 2023, and later extradited to the U.S. Charges were formally announced by the US Justice Department in November 2023. (Image: X//DEA New York)

• Nikhil Gupta pleaded guilty in US murder-for-hire plot case
• Gupta faces up to 40 years in prison, sentencing set for May 2026
• Case involves plot to kill US-based Khalistani leader Pannun

Did our AI summary help?

Nikhil Gupta, a 54-year-old Indian national, is at the centre of a high-profile US federal case involving a foiled murder-for-hire plot targeting US-based Khalistani separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Gupta recently pleaded guilty in a New York court to charges of murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

As per court documents, Gupta, who also used the alias "Nick", as someone who portrayed himself as an international dealer in narcotics and weapons. He was living in India prior to his arrest in 2023. It is alleged that he played a key operational role in coordinating the planned assassination in New York City.

According to the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, the conspiracy began in May 2023 when Gupta was allegedly recruited by Vikash Yadav, identified in court filings as a co-defendant and an employee of India’s Cabinet Secretariat, which houses the country’s external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).

Prosecutors is US have alleged that Gupta was tasked with arranging the killing of Pannun on US soil. Acting on instructions, he contacted an individual he believed to be a criminal associate to hire a contract killer.

That individual was, in fact, a confidential source working with the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), who introduced Gupta to an undercover DEA officer posing as a hitman.

US authorities state that the agreed payment for the assassination was $100,000, with $15,000 allegedly paid in advance in June 2023. Investigating officials have claimed that Gupta shared Pannun’s home address, phone numbers, daily routine and surveillance photographs with the undercover officer while keeping his alleged co-conspirator updated.

Court filings also state that Gupta instructed the undercover officer not to carry out the killing around the time of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the U.S. in June 2023.

The case drew further attention after the June 18, 2023, killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.

According to US prosecutors, Gupta told the undercover officer that Nijjar “was also the target” and indicated there was “now no need to wait” to carry out the New York assassination after Nijjar’s death.

Gupta was arrested in the Czech Republic on June 30, 2023, and later extradited to the U.S. Charges were formally announced by the US Justice Department in November 2023.

He pleaded guilty before US Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn and is scheduled to be sentenced by US District Judge Victor Marrero on May 29, 2026. The charges carry a combined maximum sentence of up to 40 years in prison.

The case has had diplomatic implications.

In October 2024, the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi confirmed that the individual named in the US indictment as being connected to the conspiracy was no longer employed by the Government of India.

Pannun, the alleged target, has been designated a terrorist by India and holds American and Canadian citizenship.