An Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, has pleaded guilty in a US federal court for his role in a murder-for-hire conspiracy targeting US-based Sikh activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, according to the United States Department of Justice.
The 54-year-old admitted to acting under the direction of an individual linked to India’s intelligence apparatus, hiring a hitman to carry out the assassination.
Gupta pleaded guilty to three charges: murder-for-hire, conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy.
Each murder-for-hire and conspiracy charge carries up to 10 years in prison, while the money laundering charge carries a maximum of 20 years. Sentencing will be determined by the court at a later date.
Prosecutors revealed that Gupta believed he could orchestrate the killing from abroad on American soil.
The investigation, involving the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and international partners, successfully disrupted the plot. Court documents also referenced the June 2023 killing of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, noting that both Nijjar and Pannun were critical of the Indian government.
Gupta was arrested in the Czech Republic on June 30, 2023, and later extradited to the US.
Another suspect named in the indictment remains at large.
US Attorney General Jay Clayton described the case as a warning that foreign-directed acts of violence will be aggressively prosecuted on American soil.