The trial of a man accused of plotting assassinations on behalf of the Indian government in New York has been postponed. The accused, alleged to be involved in drug and arms smuggling, is Nikhil (Nick) Gupta. The trial, set to commence in New York City, involves charges of conspiring with Indian government officials and the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) to assassinate 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 filed pre-trial motions indicating their intent to present new evidence, such as wiretaps and video footage, related to the killing of Pannun’s deputy, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Surrey, B.C., in 2023. The trial’s focus on India’s alleged role in the Nijjar case and the revelation of evidence involving Indian officials may complicate efforts by both the Indian and Canadian governments to resolve the Nijjar issue and normalize diplomatic relations.
Gupta, seeking to act as his own representative, requested the trial delay. He expressed dissatisfaction with the court-appointed public defender and alleged unprofessional conduct by his lawyer. The judge granted Gupta’s motion, rescheduling a pre-trial conference for November 14 to determine a new trial date. Despite being assigned a new public defender, Gupta maintains his desire to represent himself.
While Gupta is not directly implicated in the plot to kill Nijjar, U.S. prosecutors plan to delve into the connections between the alleged Pannun conspiracy and the group responsible for Nijjar’s death in Surrey. The filings mention Vikash Yadav, an unindicted co-conspirator formerly associated with R&AW, as a key link between the two incidents. The court documents reveal a third targeted individual in Nepal or Pakistan, demonstrating a similar modus operandi to the Pannun murder plot.
Prosecutors aim to present wiretapped conversations between Gupta and an individual he believed would assist in the assassination, along with recordings of Gupta conversing with an undercover federal agent posing as a hitman. Despite India’s acknowledgment of Yadav’s involvement, the government denies any higher-level connection to the conspiracy. The evidence expected at trial could challenge India’s efforts to separate the two cases.
Authorities claim to possess wiretap recordings of Gupta showing a recent video of Nijjar’s killing to the pretended hitman shortly after the incident, urging him to proceed with tracking and eliminating Pannun in New York.