U.S Says Indian Official “Directed A Plot to Kill Sikh Separatist” in New York

On Wednesday, US Department of Justice officials announced charges against Nikhil Gupta,52, who they claimed worked with the Indian government employee on the plot to kill Sikh separatists.

According to the indictment against Gupta, the Indian government official who recruited him is named only as “CC-1.” The official described himself as “a senior field officer with responsibilities in security management and intelligence.”

And claims to have “served in India’s central reserve police force, trained in battle craft and weapons.”

The alleged Indian government employee recruited Nikhil Gupta in May to plan the assassination of a US citizen who had advocated for a sikh sovereign state in northern India.

Gupta contacted someone he believed was a criminal associate for assistance in hiring a hitman.

According to the indictment, Gupta agreed to a $100,000 (£79,000) fee for killing and paid $15,000 (£12,000) upfront via an associate.

Prosecutors said the associate was an undercover agent with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

They said Gupta told the undercover agent to carry out the assassination as quickly as possible but warned them not to act during meetings between US and Indian officials.

The target of the murder was named by the associate press as Gurpatwant Singh Pannun a U.S.-based Sikh separatist who was viewed as a terrorist by the Indian government.

The indictment said in June, the Indian government employee gave Gupta the home address of Pannun, his phone numbers and details about his daily routines, including surveillance photos.

Gupta then passed this on to the undercover DEA agent.

US Attorney Damian Williams said: “The defendant conspired from India to assassinate, right here in New York City, a US citizen of Indian origin who has publicly advocated for the establishment of a sovereign state for Sikhs, an ethnoreligious minority group in India.”

“A threat”

This incident came after the Canadian government created a diplomatic row by claiming India may have had an involvement in the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Nijjar, a 45-year-old Canadian citizen, was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia, on 18 June.

In October, Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, said there were “credible allegations” that India was involved in the killing of Nijjar.

On Wednesday, India’s foreign ministry said New Delhi would formally investigate the concerns aired by the US.

“India takes such inputs seriously since they impinge on our national security interests as well,” the ministry said, vowing to “take necessary follow-up action” on the judgments.

The Indian government complained about Sikh separatist groups outside India, including Canada and the US.

According to India, the movement is considered a security threat.

They have blamed Sikh militants for the 1985 bombing of an Air India Boeing 747 flying from Canada to India when all 329 people on board were killed.

Mr. Trudeau, in response to the allegations against Gupta, said, “The US investigation underscores the need for India to take similar allegations by Canada seriously.”

The White House, which has prioritized its ties with India, declined to comment directly on the charges against Gupta but said administration officials acted quickly.

White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement: “When we were made aware of the fact that the defendant, in this case, had credibly indicated that he was directed to arrange the murder by an individual who is assessed to be an employee of the Indian government.

“We took this information very seriously and engaged in direct conversations with the Indian government at the highest levels to express our concern.”

Gupta faces two counts of murder for hire and murder for hire conspiracy.

He was arrested by Czech authorities in June and is waiting for extradition.

He could not be reached for comment.