52-year-old Nikhil Gupta who was suspected by the United States of involvement in the unsuccessful plot to kill pro-Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun was extradited to the US by the Czech Republic
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The Czech Republic has extradited 52-year-old Nikhil Gupta who was suspected by the United States of involvement in the unsuccessful plot to kill pro-Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The news of the extradition was confirmed by the Federal Bureau of Prisons website.
Gupta was accused by the US federal prosecutors of plotting with an Indian government official to kill the pro-Khalistani terrorist on American soil. He travelled to Prague from India in June 2023 and was arrested by the Czech authorities.
In May, a court in the European nation rejected his petition to avoid being sent to the US which ultimately cleared the country’s Justice Minister’s pathway to extradite him.
Where is Gupta currently being held?
An inmate search on the Federal Bureau of Prison website showed that Gupta is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center, Brooklyn which is a federal administrative detention facility.
The US Department of Justice has yet to comment on the matter. Gupta’s US-based lawyers attorney Jeffrey Chabrowe, also had no immediate comment on the latest information
How the case tested diplomatic relations
The discovery of assassination plots against pro-Khalistani terrorists in both the US and Canada has tested the North American nations’ ties with India. From the very beginning, the Indian government has denied involvement in the plot.
In 2023, the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, stood at the Canadian parliament and alleged that “agents working for the Indian government” were involved in the murder of pro-Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
In 2023, the US authorities revealed that an Indian government official had directed the plot to kill Pannun who has both US and Canadian citizenship. Earlier this month, Pannun told Reuters that “Gupta is just a foot soldier.”
Soon after the accusations were hurled, the Indian government disassociated itself from the plot against Pannun and maintained that such plots go against the government’s policy. India also stated that it would formally investigate security concerns raised by Washington.
In May this year, Washington emphasised that it was satisfied with India’s moves to ensure accountability in the alleged plots, but added that many steps still needed to be taken.
For time immemorial, New Delhi has complained about the rise of the Khalistani movement outside the Indian soil. The radical group have been demanding for an independent Sikh state to be carved out of India.
With inputs from Reuters.
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