Indian nationwide Nikhil Gupta, accused of being concerned in a plot to assassinate a Khalistani terrorist on US soil, pleaded not responsible within the case in a US federal courtroom on Monday.
Gupta, 52, was extradited to the US from the Czech Republic on Friday.
He was arrested within the Czech Republic final yr on the request of the US authorities on fees of involvement in a plot to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York. Pannun holds twin American and Canadian citizenship.
Gupta appeared in federal courtroom in New York on Monday, the place he pleaded not responsible, in keeping with his legal professional, Jeffrey Chabrowe.
The Czech Constitutional Courtroom final month rejected a petition by Gupta towards his extradition to the US to face the fees.
US federal prosecutors allege that Gupta had been working on the route of an unnamed Indian authorities official.
Nonetheless, India has denied involvement in any such case and has launched a high-level investigation into the allegations.
“This can be a advanced matter for each of our nations,” Chabrowe, Gupta’s lawyer, instructed PTI forward of his consumer’s arraignment in a federal courtroom right here.
“This can be very necessary that we chorus from leaping to conclusions at such an early stage within the course of. Background and particulars will develop that will shed the federal government’s allegations in an entire new gentle,” Chabrowe stated.
“We are going to proceed his protection vigorously and be sure that he receives due course of, no matter exterior pressures,” he added.
Earlier, the Czech Justice Minister confirmed that Gupta has been extradited to the US.
“Based mostly on my choice of (June 3), Indian nationwide Nikhil Gupta, suspected of conspiracy to commit homicide for rent with intent to trigger loss of life, was extradited to the US on Friday (June 14) for legal proceedings,” Czech Justice Minister Pavel Blazek stated in a put up on X.
Federal prosecutors allege that Gupta employed a hitman to kill Pannun and paid $15,000 up entrance.
Gupta, by means of his lawyer, denied the fees and stated he had been “wrongly accused”.
The Washington Submit reported in April 2024 that Vikram Yadav, an officer with the Analysis and Evaluation Wing (R&AW), was the Indian official behind the plot. The newspaper additionally claimed that the then R&AW director Samant Goel had licensed the operation.
India’s overseas ministry, nevertheless, dismissed the report, saying it makes “unwarranted and baseless allegations” by claiming that Indian brokers have been concerned within the plot to kill Pannun.
India has stated publicly {that a} high-level investigation is underway into proof shared by the US within the alleged plot to kill Pannun.
