Sikh separatist Pannun murder plot: Nikhil Gupta pleads guilty in U.S. court

Mangalore Today News Network

New York, Feb 14, 2026: Indian national Nikhil Gupta pleaded guilty in a Manhattan federal court on Friday for his role in a foiled plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a dual US-Canadian citizen and prominent Sikh separatist leader residing in New York. 54-year-old Gupta’s change of plea marks a dramatic turn in a case that has created a buzz in both Washington and New Delhi.

The Guilty Plea and Charges

Gupta appeared before US Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn, where he pleaded guilty to three criminal counts: murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. These charges carry a combined maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison. Under a plea agreement, US prosecutors have reportedly recommended a sentence in the range of 21 to 24 years, effectively halving the potential maximum term.

The case against Gupta rests on allegations that he acted as a middleman between an Indian government official and a purported hitman. US authorities identified the official as Vikash Yadav, a former officer of India’s external intelligence agency, who remains in India. The plot collapsed when the “hitman" Gupta attempted to hire turned out to be an undercover federal agent.

The Plot

According to the US Department of Justice, the conspiracy was initiated in May 2023. Gupta allegedly arranged for a $15,000 advance payment—of a total promised $100,000 fee—to be delivered to the undercover agent in Manhattan. The indictment further alleges that the conspirators were emboldened by the June 2023 killing of another Sikh separatist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Canada, with Gupta reportedly telling the undercover agent that there was “now no need to wait" to target Pannun.

Gupta was originally arrested in June 2023 at Prague’s Vaclav Havel Airport and was extradited to the United States a year later. While he initially maintained his innocence, the guilty plea suggests a move towards cooperation or a desire to avoid a full trial that was set to air sensitive wiretapped evidence and videos.

Diplomatic Aftermath

The Indian government has consistently distanced itself from the incident, describing it as a “rogue" operation that contradicts official policy. However, New Delhi established a high-level committee to investigate the links. In early 2025, that panel reportedly recommended legal action against the officials involved. The case remains a focal point of the “transnational repression" narrative, as Western intelligence agencies continue to monitor the activities of diaspora-linked political movements.