The scheduled murder-for-hire trial involving a man accused of orchestrating assassinations on behalf of the Indian government in New York has been postponed. The trial of Nikhil (Nick) Gupta, an alleged smuggler of drugs and arms, was set to commence in New York City but has been delayed.
Gupta faces charges of collaborating with Indian government officials and the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), the country’s overseas intelligence service, to plot the murder of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh independence activist and dual U.S.-Canadian citizen labeled a terrorist by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration. Prosecutors have indicated their intent to introduce new evidence, such as wiretaps and video footage, related to the 2023 killing of Pannun’s associate, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Surrey, British Columbia.
By reopening discussions around India’s alleged involvement in the Nijjar case 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 normal diplomatic relations.
Gupta requested the trial delay, citing dissatisfaction with the court-appointed public defender and insisting on representing himself. He accused his attorney of unprofessional behavior, including failing to file a motion to dismiss charges and misinforming him about the judge’s decision. The judge granted Gupta’s motion, postponing the trial for a pre-trial conference on November 14 to set a new date.
Although Gupta is not directly linked to the conspiracy to assassinate Hardeep Singh Nijjar, U.S. prosecutors have indicated their intention to delve into the connections between the alleged Pannun plot and the group responsible for Nijjar’s murder. The court documents mention Vikash Yadav, an unindicted co-conspirator formerly associated with R&AW, as a key figure connecting the two incidents.
Prosecutors plan to present wiretapped conversations between Gupta and an individual he believed would assist in the assassination, as well as recordings of dialogues between Gupta and an undercover agent posing as a contract killer. The Modi government has acknowledged Yadav’s involvement in the conspiracy but denies any higher-level government participation, attributing Yadav’s actions to individual misconduct.
Federal authorities claim to possess wiretap evidence showing Gupta sharing a fresh video of Nijjar’s killing with the alleged hitman shortly after the incident and urging him to proceed with tracking and eliminating Pannun in New York.
