New Delhi:

A committee set up by the Union government has recommended that legal action be taken against a former Indian intelligence officer, identified as ‘CC-1’ in an indictment filed in New York City, for allegedly orchestrating a foiled plot to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Gurupatwant Singh Pannun, who is a dual US-Canadian citizen.

The enquiry committee was formed to probe the individual’s links with the drug mafia and criminal gangs after allegations surfaced that a plot was hatched to kill Pannun in the US in 2023.

“After a long enquiry, the Committee has submitted its report to the Government and recommended legal action against an individual, whose earlier criminal links and antecedents also came to notice during the enquiry,” the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement. 

The individual known as ‘CC-1’ was later identified by the FBI as Vikash Yadav, a former Research and Analysis Wing officer. The Government of India had said ‘CC-1’ was no longer employed by it.

The Home Ministry said the committee has recommended that the legal action against the individual must be completed expeditiously.

“The Enquiry Committee conducted its own investigations and also pursued leads provided by the US side. It received full cooperation from US authorities and the two sides also exchanged visits. The Committee further examined a number of officials from different agencies and also scrutinised relevant documents in this connection,” it said. 

“The Committee has further recommended functional improvements in systems and procedures as also initiation of steps that could strengthen India’s response capability, ensure systematic controls and coordinated action in dealing with matters like this,” it added.

Murder-For-Hire

The US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York had said that it had registered “murder-for-hire and money laundering charges” against Vikash Yadav for trying to kill Pannun. The FBI also accused Indian agents of involvement in the assassination attempt.

“The FBI will not tolerate acts of violence or other efforts to retaliate against those residing in the US for exercising their constitutionally protected rights,” then FBI director Christopher Wray had said.

Mr Yadav is accused of recruiting an Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, in May 2023 to execute the assassination. Mr Gupta was arrested in Prague in June that year, after travelling from India, and was subsequently extradited to the US, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Mr Yadav and Mr Gupta allegedly contracted an individual to carry out the killing for $100,000. The FBI later discovered that the hired assassin was an informant for the agency who was working undercover.

New Delhi:

Vikas Yadav, a former Indian government employee on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s wanted list, was arrested ten months ago by the Delhi Police on charges of attempted murder and kidnapping.

The former officer of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) has been charged by US prosecutors for his alleged role in directing a failed plot to kill Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who holds dual citizenship of the US and Canada. The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday confirmed that the individual named in the US Justice Department’s indictment was “no longer an employee of the government of India”.

Vikas Yadav, also known as Vikash Yadav, was arrested by the special cell of Delhi Police in December last year after a complaint by a businessman from Rohini in north west Delhi and a chargesheet was filed in March this year. Yadav got bail a month later in April.

The businessman – who is said to have many contacts in west Asia – told police that his acquaintance had introduced him to Vikas Yadav in November 2023 and told him that he was a senior government officer. They soon shared mobile numbers to stay in touch.

According to the complaint, Yadav often asked him about his work and friends. The former government employee had also told him that he worked as an undercover agent. But, he never shared any information about his work and office, the businessman told the police.

On December 11, Yadav called him and said that he wanted to discuss some issue and asked him to come to Lodhi Road, as per the complaint. There was another man with Yadav when he reached the location. The businessman claimed that they forcibly kidnapped him and took him to a flat in Defence Colony, where Yadav told him that gangster Lawrence Bishnoi had given him a contract to kill him.

Yadav’s associate then hit him on the head and took away his gold chain and rings, he alleged, adding they went to his cafe and took whatever cash was there. According to the complainant, they left him on the side of a road and threatened him with a dire outcome if he complained to anyone.

The businessman soon went to the police and a First Information Report or FIR was filed in the case under the sections of attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy and kidnapping. Yadav and his associate were arrested on December 18.

During interrogation, the associate told the police that he joined the conspiracy with Vikas Yadav as he had suffered losses in his business of old vehicles. He said that Yadav told him that his father was in the Border Security Force.

Vikas Yadav said that he planned the whole crime the day he met the businessman. Delhi Police filed a case in March, and Vikas got bail in April. Although Vikas got interim bail on March 22, but then he got regular bail in April.

US’ Charges Against Vikas Yadav

Vikas Yadav faces three charges: conspiracy to hire a hitman, the actual “murder-for-hire” plot, and money laundering. The charges against him and his alleged co-conspirator Nikhil Gupta, were unsealed in the Federal Southern District of New York Court on Thursday.

According to the indictment, Yadav was the alleged mastermind who recruited Gupta to carry out the plot in exchange for helping him get criminal cases against him dismissed. Nikhil Gupta was arrested in the Czech Republic and was extradited to the US in June.

Many of the details in the document repeat the same narratives made in earlier documents filed against Gupta, but this time, Yadav is identified by name.

“Yadav recruited Gupta to orchestrate the assassination of the Victim in the United States and that under Yadav’s directions, Gupta contacted a government “confidential source” who he thought was “a criminal associate,” it said.

As per the document, the alleged plot began around May 6 last year with Yadav sending Gupta a message on an encrypted app, “This is Vikas … save my name as Aman”.

In June 2023, they hired a “hitman” and agreed on a payment of $100,000 to allegedly kill the “victim”, the court document which did not name Pannun said. Yadav and Gupta arranged through an “associate of Yadav” to give $15,000 as advance.

The plot, however, unravelled as the “hitman” they hired was an undercover US law enforcement officer, according to the 18-page court document, which also included a photograph of Yadav dressed in military fatigues.

The charges were filed a day after an Indian Enquiry Committee set up to investigate the allegations visited Washington to discuss the case with US officials.

In November last year, US federal prosecutors charged Nikhil Gupta of working with an Indian government employee in the foiled plot to kill Pannun in New York.

New Delhi:

The United States this week named Vikash Yadav, a former Indian intelligence officer once associated with the Research and Analysis Wing, or R&AW – as the shadowy central figure in a failed plot to kill Gurpatwant Pannun, a Khalistani terrorist and founder of the banned Sikhs For Justice.

Pannun is a resident of New York and holds dual American and Canadian citizenship.

Vikash Yadav, 39, – known so far only as ‘CC-1’ in the indictment filed in a New York court – is in India at this time, but US officials are expected to pursue his extradition in connection with an alleged murder-for-hire conspiracy involving a second Indian citizen – Nikhil Gupta.

Gupta, 53, was extradited from Czechia to the US in June.

Yadav and Gupta face charges of murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, and could be jailed for 40 years if convicted.

READ | Ex Indian Spy Charged In US Over Plot To Kill Khalistani Terroristt

India has confirmed Yadav is an ex-employee of its premier spy agency.

The third member of this alleged conspiracy was the ‘hitman’ – allegedly contacted by Gupta on instructions from Yadav – who turned out to be an undercover American federal agent.

Gurpatwant Pannun Murder Plot Latest

Yadav’s identity was made public Thursday after the US Justice Department unsealed a second indictment – the first named Gupta – in the Pannun murder-for-hire plot.

Vikash Yadav remains “at large”, the Justice Department said, accusing the two men of “conspiring to assassinate an American citizen of Indian origin on US soil”.

India has said Yadav – who also claims to have served in the Central Reserve Police Force – is no longer a government employee, after which State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters the prosecutors are “satisfied” with New Delhi’s cooperation.

Vikash Yadav, Gurpatwant Pannun Murder-For-Hire Conspirator

US prosecutors believe Yadav recruited Gupta in May last year.

According to the unsealed indictment Vikash Yadav – “during times relevant (to these charges)” – was, in fact, was “employed by the Government of India’s Cabinet Secretariat, which houses Indian’s foreign intelligence service (i.e., RAW)”.

The indictment has Yadav describing his position as a “senior field officer” responsible for “security management” and “intelligence”. Apart from claiming to have served in the CRPF – which Delhi has not confirmed – Yadav also claimed to have been trained in “battle craft”.

The document also includes a photograph of Mr Yadav in military attire.

It also includes a photo two people exchanging money – American dollars – in a car. The photo was reportedly taken in New York and shows, prosecutors claim, money being paid to the ‘hitman’ by an as yet unknown man acting on behalf of Nikhil Gupta and Vikash Yadav.

Gurpatwant Pannun Murder Conspiracy Details

The prosecution claims possession of communications between Yadav and Gupta, in which the former demands the latter plan and execute the killing of Gurpatwant Pannun. In return, Gupta was told criminal charges against him, filed in a Gujarat court, would be dropped.

As part of this murder-for-hire conspiracy the prosecution also claims Yadav and Gupta contacted the ‘hitman’ – the undercover federal agent – to carry out the hit for $100,000.

An advance of $15,000 was paid in June last year, days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States and shortly before another Khalistani terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Canada’s Vancouver.

Nijjar’s killing is the subject of a Canadian federal investigation and became the source of a bitter diplomatic row between Ottawa and New Delhi after Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s comment about “agents of the Indian government” being involved in the murder.

India denounced the claim – coming as Mr Trudeau’s popularity tanks before a general election – as “absurd”, “preposterous”, and “malicious”, and claimed vindication this week after the Canadian leader admitted he had no hard evidence to back his claim.

Gurpatwant Pannun Murder-For-Hire Plot

The attempted killing was to take place in June.

US officials believe Yadav provided Gupta with details about Pannun, including his New York address and daily schedule. This was passed on to the ‘hitman’.

However, Gupta told the ‘hitman’ to not act during or immediately after Mr Modi’s visit.

According to the indictment, the plan changed after Nijjar was shot dead on June 18 – two days before Prime Minister Modi’s visit. The following day Gupta allegedly told the ‘hitman’ not to wait; US officials claim he said “Nijjar was also a target… we have so many…:

On June 20 he reportedly told the ‘hitman’ “it is a priority now”.

The Nikhil Gupta Case

The storm broke in November last year after the US charged Gupta and Yadav; the latter was then referred to only as CC-1 amid uncertainty over links to the Indian government.

Gupta – in US custody now – claimed involvement with an international drug syndicate and weapons trafficking in his communications with Yadav, according to the indictment.

READ | Who Is Nikhil Gupta, Man Charged In Failed Plot To Kill Khalistan Terrorist

He was in Czechia at the time and was detained by authorities there till his extradition this year. While in Czech custody Gupta moved the Supreme Court in India – via a family member identified only as Mr X.

He claimed multiple violations of fundamental rights, including threats to himself and his family, and requested the Indian government to intervene.

READ | “Approach Czech Court”: Supreme Court On Indian Arrested In US Murder Plot

The Supreme Court said the matter did not lie in its jurisdiction and directed Gupta to seek relief from courts in Prague, but also told the External Affairs Ministry to do what it could.

The court noted it could only intervene to ensure consular access and that this had already been supplied, according to the petitioner’s own statement.

READ | “Made To Eat Beef,” Claims Family Of Indian Arrested In US Murder Plot

At present Gupta is being held at a detention centre in Brooklyn in New York.

Gupta’s lawyers have argued he was caught in ‘crossfire’ between the two governments.

Indian Government On Pannun Murder Plot

As soon as charges were filed India responded, firmly distancing itself from any murder-for-hire bid to kill an American citizen on foreign soil. The External Affairs Ministry said Delhi “takes such inputs seriously… and relevant departments are already examining the issue”.

In December Mr Modi made his first public statement, asserting that though the allegations were serious “a few incidents” could not derail ties between the two countries.

READ | PM Modi Breaks Silence On US’ Sikh Murder Plot Claim

“If someone gives us any information, we will definitely look into it,” the Prime Minister told the Financial Times, “If a citizen of ours has done anything, good or bad, we are ready to look into it. Our commitment is to the rule of law.”

Pannun Civil Suit Summons

The Indian government has, however, reacted strongly to a ‘summons’ by a US court in connection with a civil suit filed by Pannun, in which he claims a plot to kill him.

Apart from Yadav, Gupta, and the Government of India, the US District Court for the Southern District of New York also named National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and former RAW chief Samant Goel. This was in September. A reply was sought within 21 days.

India slammed the ‘summons’ as “completely unwarranted”.

With input from agencies

NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.
| Photo Credit: AP

The U.S. has said it is looking forward to the results of the Indian inquiry into the allegations that an Indian official was involved in an alleged plot to assassinate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil.

In November last year, U.S. federal prosecutors charged Indian national Nikhil Gupta of working with an Indian government employee in the foiled plot to kill Pannun in New York. Pannun, wanted in India on terror charges, holds dual citizenship of the U.S. and Canada.

Gupta, who was arrested in the Czech Republic in June last year, was extradited to the U.S. on June 14.

“They (Indian officials) have announced that they are conducting an inquiry, and we will look forward to the results of that inquiry,” State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily news conference on Wednesday.

He was responding to a question on members of the Foreign Senate Foreign Relations Committee writing a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling for a strong diplomatic response on the Indian government’s involvement in an alleged assassination attempt on a U.S. citizen on U.S. soil.

Following the allegations, India appointed a high-level inquiry committee to look into the inputs provided by the U.S. on the plot.

Mr. Miller said, “We will respond to those members privately as we always do. I won’t speak to that here. But as pertains to the other issue, when this issue first arose, we made clear that we had raised it with the government of India and told them that we expected there to be a full investigation.”

During a virtual media briefing on Wednesday on his and U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s visit to India last week, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said, the U.S. has consistently pressed India for updates on the Indian investigation into the alleged foiled plot to kill Sikh separatist Pannun and made it clear that it seeks accountability in the case.

“We have had constructive dialogue with India on this topic and I would say that they have been responsive to our concerns,” he said.

“We’ve made clear that we seek accountability from the Government of India and we have consistently asked for updates on the Indian committee of inquiry’s investigations,” Campbell said.

“And I would just simply say that we raised this issue directly with the Indian government…at the most senior levels between our two sides,” he said.

He was replying to a question on whether the ‘murder-for-hire’ plot targeting Pannun was raised during meetings that he and Sullivan held with their Indian counterparts.

Responding to another question on the Lok Sabha elections in India, Miller said, “When it comes to the Indian elections, we have been quite clear on behalf of the United States government that we celebrate what was the largest exercise of democracy in the history of the world.” “It was an extraordinary achievement. And then when it comes to the outcome of the election, we obviously take no side. That’s a question for the people of India to decide,” Mr. Miller said.

New Delhi:

The government today said it has not received any consular access request from Nikhil Gupta, an Indian accused of being involved in a murder-for-hire plot against a Khalistani terrorist on American soil. “We are in touch with his family,” it added.

The 53-year-old was arrested and detained in the Czech Republic on June 30, 2023, at the request of the US government on charges of plotting with an Indian official to kill Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York. He was extradited to the US on June 14.

Mr Gupta was produced before a federal court in New York on Monday, where he pleaded not guilty, according to his lawyer Jeffrey Chabrowe.

India has designated Pannun a terrorist but dissociated itself from the plot. The government said late last year it was a “matter of concern” that an Indian government official was linked to the plot and that it would formally investigate concerns raised by the United States.

“This is a complex matter for both our countries,” Mr Gupta’s lawyer told PTI ahead of his client’s arraignment.

“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,” he said.

“We will pursue his defence vigorously and ensure he receives full due process, regardless of outside pressures,” he added.

The murder-for-hire case carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, the US Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York said in a press release.

Washington:

Indian national Nikhil Gupta, 53, accused of being involved in a murder-for-hire plot against a Khalistani terrorist on American soil, will now face justice in a US courtroom, Attorney General Merrick Garland has said, asserting that the country will not tolerate attempts to harm its citizens.

Gupta, 53, also known as Nick, was arrested and detained in the Czech Republic on June 30, 2023, at the request of the US government on charges of being involved in a plot to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York. He was extradited to the US on June 14.

Gupta was produced before a federal court in New York on Monday, where he pleaded not guilty, according to his attorney, Jeffrey Chabrowe.

“This extradition makes clear that the Justice Department will not tolerate attempts to silence or harm American citizens,” Garland said on Monday.

“Nikhil Gupta will now face justice in an American courtroom for his involvement in an alleged plot, directed by an employee of the Indian government, to target and assassinate a US citizen for his support of the Sikh separatist movement in India,” he said.

Gupta is charged with murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each charge.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said this murder-for-hire plot, allegedly orchestrated by an Indian government employee to kill a US citizen in New York City, was a brazen attempt to silence a political activist for exercising a quintessential American right — his freedom of speech.

“The extradition of the defendant is a vital step towards justice,” she said.

FBI Director Christopher Wray said the agency will not tolerate attempts by foreign nationals or anyone else to repress constitutionally-protected freedoms in the United States.

“We will continue to work with our partners at home and abroad to protect our citizens and these sacred rights,” he said.

According to court documents, last year, an Indian government employee (CC-1) allegedly worked together with Gupta and others in India and elsewhere to direct an assassination plot against an attorney and political activist, who is a US citizen of Indian origin, on US soil.

Gupta is an Indian national who resides in India, is an associate of CC-1, and has described his involvement in international narcotics and weapons trafficking in his communications with CC-1 and others, a media release said.

CC-1 is an Indian government agency employee who has variously described himself as a “senior field officer” with responsibilities in “security management” and “intelligence” and has referenced previously serving in India’s Central Reserve Police Force and receiving “officer training” in “battle craft” and “weapons”. CC-1 directed the assassination plot from India, it added.

Federal prosecutors alleged that CC-1 recruited Gupta in May 2023 to orchestrate the assassination in the US.

Pannun is a vocal critic of the Indian government and leads a US-based organisation that advocates for the secession of Punjab, a state in northern India that is home to a large population of Sikhs, an ethnoreligious minority group in India, the federal prosecutors said.

They alleged that on CC-1’s direction, Gupta contacted an individual whom he believed to be a criminal associate but he was in fact a confidential source working with the DEA (the CS) for assistance in contracting a hitman to murder the victim in New York City.

“The CS introduced Gupta to a purported hitman, who was in fact a DEA undercover officer (the UC). CC-1 subsequently agreed, in dealings brokered by Gupta, to pay the UC USD 1,00,000 to murder the victim. On or about June 9, 2023, CC-1 and Gupta arranged for an associate to deliver USD 15,000 in cash to the UC as an advance payment for the murder. CC-1’s associate then delivered the USD 15,000 to the UC in Manhattan,” they said.

In June 2023, in furtherance of the assassination plot, CC-1 provided Gupta with personal information about the victim, including the victim’s home address, phone numbers associated with the victim and details about the victim’s day-to-day conduct, which Gupta then passed on to the UC, they added.

CC-1 directed Gupta to provide regular updates on the progress of the assassination plot, which Gupta accomplished by allegedly forwarding to CC-1, among other things, surveillance photographs of the victim.

“Gupta directed the UC to carry out the murder as soon as possible, but Gupta also specifically instructed the UC not to commit the murder around the time of anticipated engagements scheduled to occur in the ensuing weeks between high-level US and Indian government officials,” the prosecutors said.

According to the prosecutors, after Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed outside a gurdwara in Canada on June 18, 2023, Gupta allegedly told the UC that he “was also the target” and “we have so many targets”.

Around June 20, 2023, CC-1 sent Gupta a news article about the victim and messaged him “(i)t’s (a) priority now”, the prosecutors alleged.

India has publicly said a high-level inquiry is looking into the evidence shared by the US in the alleged plot to kill Pannun. 

Washington:

Indian national Nikhil Gupta, who is accused of being involved in murder-for-hire plot against a Sikh separatist, has been extradited from Czech Republic, media reports said Sunday.

Gupta, 52, was arrested in the Czech Republic last year at the request of the US government on charges of being involved in a plot to assassinate Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. He is expected to be produced before a federal court in New York on Monday.

Gupta is currently lodged at the federal Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, where he is listed as an inmate. The Washington Post was the first news outlet to report his extradition.

“Gupta, who had been detained in the Czech Republic, arrived in New York over the weekend, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive legal proceedings. Typically, extradited defendants must appear in court within a day of their arrival in the country,” the daily said.

Federal prosecutors allege that Gupta hired a hitman to kill Pannun and paid USD 15,000 in advance. They allege that an unnamed Indian government official was involved in it.

Gupta’s extradition comes ahead of the New Delhi visit of US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan for the annual ICET dialogue. The issue is expected to be raised by Sullivan before his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval.

India has denied its involvement in such a case and has instituted an investigation into the allegations.

Gupta through his attorney has denied the charges and has said that he has been “unfairly charged”.

“Gupta’s attorney, Rohini Musa, wrote in a petition to the Indian Supreme Court that her client is being unfairly prosecuted, saying there is “nothing on record to link the Petitioner to the massive alleged plot to assassinate the alleged victim,” The Washington Post said.

“Musa complained that Gupta received adverse legal advice from a Czech government-appointed attorney “under the undue influence of … U.S. Agencies” during the initial phase of his detention. She said India and the United States were “going back and forth to blame each other for their foreign policy,” the daily reported.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Washington:

Indian national Nikhil Gupta, who is accused of being involved in murder-for-hire plot against a Khalistan terrorist, has been extradited from Czech Republic, media reports said Sunday.

Gupta, 52, was arrested in the Czech Republic last year at the request of the US government on charges of being involved in a plot to assassinate Khalistan terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. He is expected to be produced before a federal court in New York on Monday.

Gupta is currently lodged at the federal Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, where he is listed as an inmate. The Washington Post was the first news outlet to report his extradition.

“Gupta, who had been detained in the Czech Republic, arrived in New York over the weekend, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive legal proceedings. Typically, extradited defendants must appear in court within a day of their arrival in the country,” the daily said.

Federal prosecutors allege that Gupta hired a hitman to kill Pannun and paid $15,000 in advance. They allege that an unnamed Indian government official was involved in it.

Gupta’s extradition comes ahead of the New Delhi visit of US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan for the annual ICET dialogue. The issue is expected to be raised by Sullivan before his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval.

India has denied its involvement in such a case and has instituted an investigation into the allegations.

Gupta through his attorney has denied the charges and has said that he has been “unfairly charged”.

“Gupta’s attorney, Rohini Musa, wrote in a petition to the Indian Supreme Court that her client is being unfairly prosecuted, saying there is “nothing on record to link the Petitioner to the massive alleged plot to assassinate the alleged victim,” The Washington Post said.

“Musa complained that Gupta received adverse legal advice from a Czech government-appointed attorney “under the undue influence of … U.S. Agencies” during the initial phase of his detention. She said India and the United States were “going back and forth to blame each other for their foreign policy,” the daily reported.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
| Photo Credit: AP

The Czech Constitutional Court has rejected a petition by Indian national Nikhil Gupta, detained in a prison in Prague, against his extradition to the U.S. to face murder-for-hire charges in an alleged assassination attempt on a Khalistani extremist on American soil.

Gupta, 52, was charged by U.S. federal prosecutors in an indictment unsealed in November last year with working with an Indian government employee in the foiled plot to kill Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who holds dual American and Canadian citizenships, in the U.S.

Gupta was arrested in Prague, the Czech Republic on June 30, 2023, and is being held there currently. The U.S. government is seeking his extradition to America.

Also read: Will R&AW’s overseas operations affect ties? | Explained

The Czech Constitutional Court heard a petition by Gupta against the extradition.

“The Constitutional Court did not find any circumstance for which declaring extradition admissible would lead to a violation of any of the constitutionally guaranteed fundamental rights and freedoms,” the court said in a statement on Wednesday.

The court said it ruled that lower courts had given due consideration to aspects that may prevent extradition. It also rejected arguments that the case was political.

“For the complainant, this brings the proceedings before the Czech courts to an end.”

The Constitutional Court said it has now confirmed the decision of the general courts on the admissibility of extradition, upholding the Municipal Court and The High Court’s order.

The court also upheld the local court’s decision to reject Gupta’s request for release from pre-trial detention and did not accept compensation for detention in the form of a monetary guarantee, or in the form of a ban on travel abroad.

Before the Constitutional Court, the applicant said courts did not examine all the essential circumstances that could become an obstacle to extradition, according to the statement.

A Czech high court in January ruled Gupta can be extradited to the U.S.

A final decision on whether to extradite Gupta will be made by Justice Minister Pavel Blazek.

The Washington Post, in April 2024, reported that Vikram Yadav, a Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) officer, was the Indian official behind the plot. The paper also said the then R&AW chief Samant Goel sanctioned the operation.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs, however, dismissed the report, saying it makes “unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations” to claim that Indian agents were involved in the plot to kill Pannun.

India has publicly said a high-level inquiry is looking into the evidence shared by the U.S. in the alleged plot to kill Pannun.

New Delhi:

Hitting back at China over its comments on the investigation into the alleged foiled assassination plot against Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the Ministry of External Affairs said that India and the United States are capable of dealing with any issues between the two countries.

The MEA spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, added that there is no role for any “speculative comments and gratuitous advice” by “unrelated third parties.”

This comes after Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, during a press conference, said that the relevant countries must observe international law and the basic norms governing international relations.

“China noted the reports. We hope relevant countries will earnestly observe international law and the basic norms governing international relations,” Mr Jian said.

Addressing the weekly press briefing on Thursday, the MEA spokesperson said, “India and the United States, as two countries adhering to the rule of law, are capable of dealing with any issues that we have between ourselves. There is no role for any speculative comments and gratuitous advice by unrelated third parties.”

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is an India-designated terrorist who holds American and Canadian citizenship.

As per the US Justice Department indictment, an Indian, Nikhil Gupta, who is currently in custody, has been charged with the murder-for-hire of Pannun.

The US Justice Department had claimed that an Indian government employee, who was not identified in the indictment filed, had recruited the Indian national to hire a hitman to allegedly carry out the assassination of Pannun, which was foiled by US authorities.

Last year, India formed a committee to inquire into the allegations of the foiled assassination plot.

In December last year, US Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer acknowledged India’s establishment of a Committee of Enquiry to investigate the plot to allegedly kill Pannun in the US.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)