Who Is Nikhil Gupta? Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison For Failed Murder Plot Against Khalistani Terrorist Pannun

New Delhi: Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national accused of orchestrating a cross-border assassination conspiracy, has been sentenced to 24 years in prison by a US federal court for his role in a failed plot to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, whom India has officially designated a terrorist. The sentencing marks the culmination of a high-stakes international investigation that U.S. authorities say exposed a sophisticated murder-for-hire scheme planned across continents.

Nikhil Gupta, 54, entered a guilty plea before Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn, admitting to three federal crimes: murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The sentence was later imposed by District Judge Victor Marrero after prosecutors argued that Gupta played a central operational role in coordinating the plot.

Role in Assassination Conspiracy

According to prosecutors, Gupta functioned as the key intermediary responsible for arranging the killing of Pannun, a US citizen and prominent figure in the pro-Khalistan movement. India has banned Pannun and his organisation and labeled him a terrorist, while U.S. officials describe him in legal filings as a political activist and critic of the Indian government.

Authorities say Gupta believed he was hiring a professional hitman to carry out the assassination in New York. Instead, he was communicating with a confidential source working with the Drug Enforcement Administration, who introduced him to an undercover operative posing as a contract killer. The sting operation allowed investigators to monitor the plot in real time and prevent the attack.

Court documents state Gupta negotiated a payment of USD 100,000 for the killing and arranged an advance of USD 15,000 in cash. He also allegedly supplied detailed personal information about the intended target, including home address, phone numbers, daily routine, and surveillance photographs.

Handler and International Links

Prosecutors allege Gupta was recruited in 2023 by Vikash Yadav, described in the indictment as an employee of India’s Cabinet Secretariat, which oversees the external intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing. US authorities claim Yadav directed the plot and provided intelligence about the target. Yadav has been charged separately but remains outside US custody.

Investigators say electronic communications between the suspects formed key evidence. In some messages cited by prosecutors, Gupta allegedly described himself as an international narcotics and weapons trafficker, statements authorities argue demonstrated his access to criminal networks capable of carrying out violence.

Arrest and Extradition

Gupta’s arrest took place on June 30, 2023, in the Czech Republic after U.S. authorities issued a request. He was extradited to the United States in June 2024 following legal proceedings. Officials credited close coordination between American and European agencies for dismantling what they described as a transnational assassination plot before it could be executed.

The investigation involved multiple US agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, whose counterintelligence division worked alongside narcotics enforcement teams to track communications, financial transfers, and travel movements linked to the conspiracy.

Warning to Foreign Actors

Announcing the conviction, US Attorney Jay Clayton said the case demonstrates that foreign nationals who attempt to target individuals inside the United States will be pursued and prosecuted regardless of where they operate. Officials described the conspiracy as an example of “transnational repression”, in which individuals abroad attempt to silence critics or political opponents living in another country.

For US authorities, the conviction represents both a criminal justice victory and a broader deterrent message. For India, the matter carries diplomatic sensitivity due to allegations mentioned in American court documents, though New Delhi has previously stated it does not support violence abroad.

The sentencing of Nikhil Gupta closes one of the most closely watched international assassination-plot cases in recent years. Investigators say the operation never came close to execution because it was infiltrated early by undercover agents, but they stress that without intervention, the conspiracy could have resulted in a targeted killing on US soil.

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