New York: Indian citizen Nikhil Gupta, who is facing charges of plotting the murder of Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, was presented in a US court. Nikhil Gupta was presented in a federal court in the US. In the open court, Nikhil Gupta denied being involved in the conspiracy to murder Pannu. He clearly said that I have nothing to do with this conspiracy. I am innocent. Nikhil Gupta was recently extradited from the Czech Republic and brought to the US. Nikhil Gupta is accused of plotting the murder of terrorist Pannu.
Magistrate Judge James Kott in the federal court of Southern New York ordered Nikhil Gupta to be kept in custody till the hearing on June 28. Nikhil Gupta’s lawyer Jeffrey Chabro did not apply for bail. Outside the courtroom, Jeffrey Chabro said that this is a “complex matter” for India and America and there should be no hurry to make a decision. He also told the magistrate that Nikhil Gupta is a vegetarian. Therefore, vegetarian food should be provided to him in jail.
What is the allegation on Nikhil?
In fact, the prosecution has accused Gupta of being involved in a conspiracy to hire a person to kill a Khalistani leader. Nikhil Gupta is accused of plotting to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who campaigned for Khalistan and has been declared a terrorist by the Indian government. Gupta has been kept in a prison in Brooklyn after his extradition from the Czech Republic. 52-year-old Gupta was arrested in the Czech Republic on June 30 last year. After this, the US had demanded his extradition.
Why were they brought to America from the Czech Republic?
His extradition was halted due to his appeal against his extradition in the Czech Constitutional Court earlier this year. When his appeal was rejected last month, the way was cleared for him to be sent to the US. In January, Gupta’s lawyer had filed a petition in a New York court saying that he was deprived of basic human rights while being detained in Prague. The lawyer had requested the court in January to order the prosecution to provide more information about the case to the defense so that it could defend Gupta.
FIRST PUBLISHED : June 18, 2024, 07:50 IST