A federal courtroom in New York has become the stage for an extraordinary case testing the limits of international espionage and justice. Nikhil Gupta, a 52-year-old Indian national, stands accused of acting as an agent for his country’s intelligence service in an alleged campaign of assassinations spanning three nations.
According to U.S. prosecutors, Gupta sought to orchestrate targeted killings in Pakistan, Nepal, and on American soil, including an alleged plot to murder Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a prominent Sikh separatist based in New York. The case, officials say, exposes a web of narcotics trafficking, arms smuggling, money laundering, and murder-for-hire all hidden behind encrypted WhatsApp chats and coded aliases.
Court filings suggest Gupta worked closely with Vikash Yadav, described as a former officer of India’s external intelligence agency, RAW. In messages, Yadav allegedly offered rifles and pistols, promising delivery only after the first assassination succeeded. Gupta, prosecutors say, dutifully saved Yadav’s number under the alias “Aman” while plotting payments to secure operatives already deployed in Nepal.
Gupta was arrested in Prague in June 2023 and extradited to the United States a year later. At his arraignment, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland condemned the alleged scheme as a direct attack on free speech and civil liberties. Senior law enforcement leaders, including FBI Director Christopher Wray, echoed the warning: Washington will not tolerate foreign governments targeting people on American soil.
The case carries echoes of the June 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist shot dead in Canada, a murder Gupta allegedly cited as part of a broader campaign. Now facing conspiracy and attempted murder charges, Gupta could spend up to 20 years behind bars if convicted. The trial is expected to test not only evidence but the strength of U.S. resolve against covert foreign operations.
