Indian National Charged in US With Assassination Plot

(RepublicanPress.org) – On June 18, Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a supporter of Khalistan’s independence, was shot dead in British Columbia. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the Indian government may have been involved in the assassination, citing “credible allegations” showing a “potential link.” A recent announcement from the United States confirmed that Nijjar wasn’t the only Sikh targeted by assassins.

On November 29, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced that Czech authorities arrested and detained Indian national Nikhil Gupta for allegedly plotting to murder a US citizen in New York City. According to the press release, an Indian government employee recruited Gupta in May to plan the assassination. The man, who lives in India, allegedly contacted someone for the hit, not realizing that person was a confidential informant working with the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

U.S. authorities charge an Indian national with plotting to assassinate a Sikh separatist leader in New York. https://t.co/WM69054bzJ

— CBS News (@CBSNews) November 29, 2023

That person introduced Gupta to the supposed hitman, who was actually an undercover DEA officer. The Indian government employee allegedly agreed to pay the undercover agent $100,000 to kill the New York target. Gupta and the government employee arranged a meeting in Manhattan in June for payment. The suspect gathered information about the victim from his employer and passed that intel on to the supposed hitman, saying the deed should happen as soon as possible. While working together, Gupta apparently told the undercover agent that Nijjar was on his kill list, as were many others. There were reportedly four targets — one in the US and three in Canada.

According to CBS News, the federal government has already spoken with the Indian government about the matter. Senior officials in India “expressed surprise and concern” about the development, a National Security Council spokesperson said,, assuring it was not government policy to put hits out on people. A National Security Council spokeswoman said the US believes the Indian government is also investigating the matter.

If convicted, Gupta could serve up to 20 years in prison for the murder-for-hire scheme together with conspiracy to commit the act.