In a 61-page document filed this week in the Southern District of New York, United States prosecutors have claimed that Indian nationals, Nikhil Gupta and former intelligence officer Vikash Yadav, discussed targeting another person in Nepal or Pakistan apart from the murder of Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
Trial against Gupta is scheduled to begin on 3rd November this year. The filing made by the US authorities outlined “evidence” against Gupta and Yadav including WhatsApp messages and email exchanges. It also claimed that the duo were linked to the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was shot dead in Surrey, Canada, in 2023.
Notably, Gupta was arrested by Czech authorities in Prague in June 2023 at the request of US authorities and extradited to the USA in June 2024. In October last year, the External Affairs Ministry of India confirmed Yadav had been dismissed from service following the US indictment in November 2023.
Broader claims of murder planning
According to the prosecutors, in May 2023, Yadav asked Gupta to arrange the murder of Pannun, who has been described in the filing as the “victim”, and another individual in Nepal or Pakistan. Prosecutors attached WhatsApp messages claiming to have shown Gupta telling Yadav that “hitmen had already arrived [in Nepal] and looking for” the intended target.
The filing further claimed Gupta and Yadav planned “additional murders in Canada and in Nepal or Pakistan”, supported by communications obtained from Yadav’s Gmail accounts and Gupta’s phones.
India’s official response
So far, India has not commented on the new filing in official capacity. Earlier, New Delhi set up an inquiry committee to review the allegations, which recommended functional improvements and legal action against an individual with criminal links.
On the other hand, India has repeatedly rejected Canada’s claims of state involvement in Nijjar’s murder and called it “absurd”. India has insisted again and again that Canada must provide some evidence to support the claim, however, Ottawa has failed to provide the same.
