The US Justice Department said that an Indian government employee working with others directed, including Gupta a plot to assassinate a political activist. US authorities said a hitman who was an undercover US law enforcement officer was given $100,000 to kill Pannun.

In a press release, the US Attorney's Office said that an "Indian Government employee orchestrated a murder plot from India targeting a US-based leader of the Sikh separatist movement." The release announces the filing of murder-for-hire charges against Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national allegedly recruited by an employee of an Indian government agency to carry out the assassination.

Providing intricate details, the press release identifies the government employee as a former CRPF officer who initiated contact with Nikhil Gupta in May 2023. Gupta is quoted in the release, referencing Hardeep Singh Nijjar as one of the numerous targets. Notably, Nijjar was fatally shot outside a Gurdwara in Surrey, Canada, on June 18 of the current year.

 

 

 

 

It is claimed that Gupta is an associate of CC-1, and has described his involvement in international narcotics and weapons trafficking in his communications with CC-1. The indictment claims CC -1 directed the assassination plot from India.

 

Following the instructions of the official, Gupta reached out to a person he assumed was a criminal partner. However, this person was actually a "confidential source" cooperating with US law enforcement. This confidential source, known as CS, connected Gupta with a supposed hitman who was in reality an undercover US law enforcement officer, also referred to as UC. In transactions orchestrated by Gupta, the Indian official consented to pay the undercover officer USD 100,000 to assassinate Pannun.

 

 

"Gupta directed the undercover officer to carry out the murder as soon as possible, but Gupta also specifically instructed him not to commit the murder around the time of anticipated engagements scheduled to occur in the ensuing weeks between high-level U.S. and Indian government officials," the statement read.

 

Gupta was apprehended by Czech authorities on June 30 of this year and faces charges of murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire. Each charge comes with a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years imprisonment.

 

According to the US Justice Department, on the day following Nijjar’s killing, Gupta told the assassin that Nijjar was also a target and that they “have so many targets”. After Nijjar’s death, there was no need to wait, the US Justice Department claimed Gupta had said.