The trial for an individual accused of orchestrating assassinations for the Indian government in New York has been postponed. Nikhil (Nick) Gupta, a suspected trafficker of drugs and arms, was set to stand trial in New York City but faced delays. Gupta is alleged to have conspired with Indian government officials and its external intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), to eliminate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh separatist and dual U.S.-Canadian citizen labeled a terrorist by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration.
Prosecutors in the case plan to introduce new evidence, such as wiretaps and videos, related to the murder of Pannun’s deputy, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Surrey, B.C., in 2023. By reopening discussions on India’s potential involvement in Nijjar’s death and presenting fresh evidence implicating Indian authorities, the trial could complicate efforts by both the Indian and Canadian governments to resolve the Nijjar issue and restore regular diplomatic relations.
Gupta requested the trial delay, expressing dissatisfaction with his court-appointed attorney and insisting on representing himself. In a legal motion, Gupta alleged that his lawyer had engaged in discussions with a U.S. prosecutor that indicated a lack of enthusiasm for a robust defense. The judge granted Gupta’s motion, pushing the trial to a later date, with a pre-trial conference scheduled for November 14.
While Gupta is not directly linked to the assassination scheme targeting Hardeep Singh Nijjar, U.S. prosecutors aim to delve into the connections between the purported Pannun plot and the group responsible for Nijjar’s killing in a Surrey gurdwara parking lot. The filings mention Vikash Yadav, an unindicted co-conspirator previously associated with R&AW, as the alleged link between the incidents. Wiretapped conversations between Gupta and an informant, as well as recordings with an undercover agent posing as a contract killer, are expected to be key evidence at the trial.
The Modi government has acknowledged Yadav’s involvement but denied higher-level government complicity, attributing his actions to individual misconduct. India has also refuted any role in Nijjar’s assassination. However, evidence anticipated at the trial may challenge India’s efforts to keep the two cases distinct. Federal authorities claim to possess wiretap recordings of Gupta showing a recent video of Nijjar’s killing to a supposed hitman shortly after the incident, urging him to locate and eliminate the primary target, Pannun, in New York.
