In a significant development that has strained international relations, Indian national Nikhil Gupta, 54, pleaded guilty on February 13, 2026, to federal charges in a Manhattan courtroom for his role in a failed assassination plot targeting Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a prominent US-based Sikh separatist leader. Gupta admitted to murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, facing up to 40 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for May 29, 2026.
The plot, uncovered by US authorities, involved Gupta allegedly working under the direction of an Indian government employee, Vikash Yadav, to hire a hitman to kill Pannun in New York City. Pannun, a dual US-Canadian citizen and lawyer for the advocacy group Sikhs for Justice, has been a vocal proponent of Khalistan—an independent Sikh state in northern India's Punjab region. India has designated Pannun a terrorist, a label he vehemently denies, insisting his activism is peaceful and focused on self-determination through referendums.
According to court documents, the conspiracy began in May 2023 when Yadav, reportedly an officer in India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), recruited Gupta in Delhi. Gupta, who claimed involvement in international narcotics and weapons trafficking, contacted what he believed was a criminal associate to arrange the hit. Unbeknownst to him, the "hitman" was an undercover US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officer, and Gupta transferred $15,000 as an advance payment. Gupta provided Pannun's address and phone numbers, and shortly after the June 2023 killing of another Sikh separatist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, he allegedly informed the undercover officer that Nijjar was "also the target" and that "we have so many targets."
Gupta was arrested in Prague, Czech Republic, in June 2023 and extradited to the US, where he initially pleaded not guilty before changing his plea last week. In court, he stated, "In the spring of 2023, I agreed, with another individual person, to murder a person in the United States." Yadav remains at large, with a federal arrest warrant issued for him.
US officials have framed the case as an example of transnational repression, with FBI Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky emphasizing that Pannun became a target "solely for exercising their freedom of speech." US Attorney Jay Clayton issued a stern warning: "Our message to all nefarious foreign actors should be clear: steer clear of the United States and our people." The FBI reiterated its commitment in a recent X post, stating, "The message from the FBI should be clear – no matter where you are located if you try to harm our citizens we will not stop until you are brought to justice."
Pannun, who continues to receive death threats, described Gupta's plea as "judicial confirmation" that India's Modi government orchestrated the plot, calling it an "act of terrorism and attack on America’s sovereignty." He vowed to persist in his advocacy, stating, "I am ready to take India’s bullet rather than take a step back and live like a slave."
The Indian government has denied any involvement, asserting that Gupta acted as a private individual with no links to official entities. Officials in New Delhi are awaiting further court documents before deciding on next steps, maintaining that such actions are against government policy. This stance echoes India's rejection of similar allegations in the Nijjar case, which Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau linked to Indian agents—a claim dismissed by India as "absurd."
The case highlights growing tensions over alleged extraterritorial operations by Indian intelligence, paralleling accusations from Canada and raising questions about accountability in transnational plots. While US-India relations have strengthened in other areas, such as trade and defense, this incident underscores the challenges of balancing alliances with protecting domestic freedoms.
Deep State Press will continue to monitor developments in this case.