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Nikhil Gupta, accused by U.S. federal prosecutors of plotting with an Indian government official to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, appears in federal court in New York City in this courtroom sketch. File photo for representative purposes only.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Indian national Nikhil Gupta, accused of being involved in a murder-for-hire plot against a Sikh separatist in New York City, pleaded guilty on Friday (February 13, 2026) to three criminal charges, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan said.
Gupta, 54, pleaded guilty to murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carry a maximum combined sentence of 40 years in prison, the spokesperson said.
He entered his plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn in Manhattan federal court.
Lawyers for Gupta were not immediately available for comment.
Gupta has been jailed in Brooklyn since his June 2024 extradition to the United States from the Czech Republic, where he had been arrested a year earlier. He had pleaded not guilty immediately after his extradition.
U.S. prosecutors accused Gupta of plotting with an Indian government official to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a U.S. resident and dual U.S.-Canadian citizen.
Nikhil Gupta, accused of murder for hire plot against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, extradited to U.S.
India’s government has dissociated itself from any plot against Pannun, saying it was against government policy.
The discovery of alleged assassination plots against Sikh separatists in the United States and Canada has tested relations with India, which has also denied involvement in such plots.
Published – February 13, 2026 10:17 pm IST
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Accused Nikhil Gupta pleads guilty in U.S. court over murder-for-hire plot against Sikh separatist Pannun
