Pannun murder plot: Accused Nikhil Gupta pleads not guilty in court, seeks Hindi-speaking lawyer

Nikhil Gupta, who has been accused of trying to hire a hitman to kill Khalistani leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, has reiterated his innocence and asked a federal judge for a Hindi-speaking lawyer saying that he was not fluent in English.

Appearing in a federal court in New York on Friday, October 18, he asked the court through his lawyer for the return of a prayer book that had been confiscated from him after his arrest in the Czech Republic.

Pannun murder plot: Accused Nikhil Gupta appears before US trial judge in preliminary procedure

Nikhil Gupta, the Indian national accused in an alleged murder-for-hire plot involving Khalistani leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US, has appeared for the first time before the trial judge, as lawyers laid out the preliminary steps.

Federal Senior Judge Victor Marrero set the next court date for September 13 during the brief hearing Friday, at which he ordered the prosecution to share the evidence it had with the defense.

Indian national Nikhil Gupta, accused in alleged plot to kill Khalistani separatist Pannun, extradited to US from Czech Republic

Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national who is accused of being involved in the alleged failed murder plot of India-designated pro-Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York City, has been extradited from the Czech Republic to the US to stand trial, NBC News reported.

A US District Court spokesperson said Gupta is scheduled to appear in the lower Manhattan courthouse on federal murder-for-hire charges Monday, June 17, the Amercian broadcaster said.

U.S. expects thorough Indian inquiry into Khalistani murder plot

The U.S. expects India’s inquiry into the foiled plot to kill a Khalistani activist to nail those “responsible” for it and not merely, by implication, those who tried to carry it out.

Nikhil Gupta, an Indian businessman accused by the U.S. of implementing the plot by trying to hire a killer, is already in American custody after extradition from Poland, where authorities had stopped him.

U.S. charges Indian national Vikash Yadav in foiled assassination plot against Khalistani activist Pannun

The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday, October 17, announced the filing of murder-for-hire and money laundering charges against a former Indian government employee, Vikash Yadav, in connection with his alleged role in directing a foiled plot to assassinate Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who is an American citizen.

In a statement, the Justice Department said, “Yadav is charged in a second superseding indictment unsealed today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Yadav’s alleged co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, 53, was previously charged and extradited to the United States on the charges contained in the first superseding indictment. Yadav remains at large.”

Indian American Congressmembers welcome India’s probe into Pannun foiled assassination plot

Indian American Members of Congress have “welcomed” the Indian government’s announcement of a committee of enquiry to probe the alleged foiled assassination plot against India-designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Ami Bera, Pramila Jayapal, Ro Khanna, Shri Thanedar and Raja Krishnamoorthi called the allegations made in the indictment of Nikhil Gupta in connection with a foiled plot to assassinate a US citizen “deeply concerning.”

U.S. demands ‘meaningful accountability’ in India’s Khalistani activist investigation

The U.S. has said it ‘won’t be fully satisfied’ unless there is ‘meaningful accountability’ at the end of India’s investigation into an alleged plot to kill a Khalistani activist based in America.

An Indian team investigating the U.S. allegations was in Washington DC last week for discussions and at around the same time an indictment was unsealed in a New York court that accused Vikash Yadav, a former officer of the spy agency RAW, of plotting the assassination attempt.

U.S. “satisfied” with India’s Inquiry Committee over Pannun “assassination” plot

The United States on Thursday, October 17, said that the meeting with the Indian Inquiry Committee regarding the alleged foiled assassination plot of the US-based Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun was “productive” and America was “satisfied” with the cooperation.

U.S. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller expressed satisfaction with India’s cooperation in the investigation.

Pannun assassination bid: U.S. lauds India’s serious intent as probe team reaches America

As an Indian committee, investigating U.S. allegations that an Indian government employee directed a foiled plot to kill a Khalistani separatist on American soil, met Tuesday, October 15, with counterparts to share their findings, the U.S. said the presence of the team in Washington D.C. reflected the seriousness with which New Delhi was taking the case.

America also said that it had urged India to treat Canadian allegations about the killing of a Khalistani separatist but New Delhi had “not chosen that path”.

India dismisses Pannun’s lawsuit over ‘assassination’ attempt in U.S. as ‘unwarranted’

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday, September 19, dismissed the lawsuit filed by pro-Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun as “unwarranted and unsubstantiated” over the ‘assassination’ attempt against the Indian government in the U.S.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that it doesn’t change India’s views about the underlying situation, now that the case has been lodged.

Ramesh Kapur says it’s time for Indian-Americans to repay Gavin Newsom

While Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom flirted with a presidential run in 2024, he ultimately realized the party was set on a Joe Biden re-election. But time flies in presidential politics and 2028 will be here before we know it.

Massachusetts Democratic Party activist Ramesh Vishwanath Kapur, president of U.S. India Security Council Inc, and a member of the Biden Victory Fund National Finance Committee, says Newsom is indeed running for president, in 2028. 

India hits back at China’s comments; MEA says “No role for any gratuitous advice by unrelated third parties”

India has hit back at China over its comments on the investigation into the foiled assassination plot against Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. A spokesperson of India’s Ministry of External Affairs responded to China’s comments and said that India and the United States are capable of dealing with any issues between the two countries.

Top diplomat Donald Lu: We are working with India to hold accountable those responsible for Pannun’s assassination attempt

Top US diplomat, Donald Lu, has termed the case of the alleged assassination attempt against Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun a “serious issue” between the two countries and said that Washington is working with New Delhi to hold accountable those responsible. The US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Donald Lu, was asked about the issue during a US Congressional hearing on the Pakistan election on Wednesday.

Biden’s inability to attend India’s Republic Day celebrations not connected to Pannun assassination plot 

As tempting as it is to believe, there appears to be no recognizable connection between President Joe Biden’s inability to attend the Republic Day celebrations in India on January 26, 2024, and the tensions between Washington and New Delhi over the stunning allegations of India’s involvement in the plot to assassinate Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.