New York / Washington — Web Desk: A U.S. court has revealed the involvement of an Indian government official in a foiled assassination plot targeting Sikh leader Gurpatwant Singh Pann in the United States.
According to court documents and reporting by The New York Times, Indian-American defendant Nikhil Gupta admitted in court that he was acting under the instructions of a government-linked Indian official. Gupta stated that the official provided Pann’s personal details, including location, to facilitate the plot.
Court filings indicate that on June 18, 2023, the official sent a video depicting another Sikh leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, deceased — an apparent attempt to intimidate Sikh leaders abroad and signal that they could be targeted internationally.
U.S. Attorney J. Clayton said Gupta believed he could carry out the killing in the United States under the guise of free expression. Despite the conspiracy failing, he will face the full force of U.S. justice.
Legal analysts note that this is the first time a direct political assassination plot tied to an Indian government official has been substantiated in a U.S. court. The involvement of a government-linked figure raises concerns of state-sponsored terrorism at an international level.
Observers also suggest that this development lends credibility to Pakistan’s long-standing claims that India engages in state-backed covert operations targeting individuals globally.
