Indian national admits RAW-linked plot to assassinate Sikh activist in New York

• US prosecutors say plan was directed by India’s RAW as Guilty plea entered in New York; sentencing set for May 29

ISLAMABAD: An Indian national has admitted before a United States court his role in a plot to assassinate Sikh activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York, allegedly acting on the direction of India’s intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).

According to foreign media reports, Nikhil Gupta, 54, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with the foiled assassination attempt.

Pannun, a US citizen, is a prominent American Sikh political activist and lawyer, widely regarded as a leading figure of the Khalistan movement in the United States. He is also serving as the general counsel of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).

Court filings revealed that Gupta was part of a group allegedly operating under the Indian government and targeting the overseas Sikh activist for advocating an independent Sikh state, Khalistan. Gupta was arrested in the Czech Republic in June 2023 and was later extradited to the United States to face charges.

The US Justice Department said Gupta acted at the direction of Vikash Yadav, an Indian government official employed by India’s Cabinet Secretariat, which oversees the country’s foreign intelligence apparatus, including RAW. Prosecutors said that in May 2023, Yadav recruited Gupta to arrange the killing of Pannun in New York.

Gupta entered his guilty plea on February 13 in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29.

In a statement, Jay Clayton, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said Gupta believed he could target an individual in the United States “simply for exercising their American right to free speech,” but would now be held accountable under US law.

The case has underscored growing tensions between India and Western governments over alleged threats against Sikh separatist figures abroad. Separately, Canada has accused India of involvement in the 2023 killing of another Sikh leader outside a temple in British Columbia, allegations New Delhi has previously denied.