Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national accused of conspiring to assassinate Sikh terrorist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, has been extradited from the Czech Republic to the United States. He is currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
U.S. federal prosecutors allege that Gupta collaborated with an Indian government official in the thwarted plot against Pannun, a U.S. resident who advocates for an independent Sikh state in northern India, a movement considered a terrorist threat by the Indian government.
Gupta's extradition follows a Czech court's rejection of his appeal against extradition last month, paving the way for his transfer to the U.S.
The case has further strained relations between the U.S. and India, following similar allegations of Indian government involvement in the assassination of another Sikh terrorist leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Canada in June 2023.
Pannun, the alleged target of the plot, has expressed that while Gupta's extradition is a positive development, he believes that higher-ranking Indian officials were behind the conspiracy. The Indian government has denied these allegations, stating that such actions are against government policy, and has vowed to investigate the matter.
This case highlights the ongoing tensions between India and Sikh terrorist groups, whom the Indian government views as a security threat. These groups continue to advocate for Khalistan, an independent Sikh state.
The U.S. has expressed satisfaction with India's initial steps towards accountability but emphasizes that more action is required.
