Highlights:

Nikhil Gupta, 54, pleaded guilty to murder-for-hire and related charges linked to a plot targeting Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
The case centers on an alleged plan to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York City.
Prosecutors say Gupta coordinated with co-defendant Vikash Yadav and others.
A confidential DEA source and an undercover officer were involved in the investigation.
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Gupta faces a maximum of 10 years for murder-for-hire, 10 years for conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and 20 years for conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 29 before U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero.

An Indian national has pleaded guilty in a federal case involving an alleged murder-for-hire plot targeting Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York City. The case concerning Gurpatwant Singh Pannun has drawn significant attention due to its international dimensions and the serious nature of the charges.

Nikhil Gupta, 54, entered his guilty plea on Friday (13) in federal court in Manhattan. The charges stem from what prosecutors described as a plan to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on US soil. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun holds dual US and Canadian citizenship.

Gupta pleaded guilty before US Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29 by U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero.

Charges Linked to Gurpatwant Singh Pannun Plot

The case involving Gurpatwant Singh Pannun includes three federal charges. In a statement, Jay Clayton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said Gupta pleaded guilty to murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which also carries a maximum of 10 years; and conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.

Federal prosecutors outlined the allegations in court filings and the indictment. According to those documents, Gupta worked with individuals in India and elsewhere, including co-defendant Vikash Yadav, in connection with the alleged plan targeting Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

The indictment states that at Yadav’s direction, Gupta contacted a person he believed to be a criminal associate to help arrange the killing of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. That individual was, in fact, a confidential source working with the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Undercover Operation in Gurpatwant Singh Pannun Investigation

Court documents detail how the investigation unfolded in the Gurpatwant Singh Pannun case. Prosecutors said that negotiations were brokered by Gupta between Yadav and an undercover law enforcement officer who was posing as a contract killer.

According to court records, Yadav later agreed to pay $100,000 to the undercover officer to carry out the murder of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York City.

On or about June 9, 2023, Yadav and Gupta allegedly arranged for an associate to deliver $15,000 in cash to the undercover officer as an advance payment for the planned killing of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The payment was described as part of the broader agreement to execute the alleged assassination.

The use of a confidential source and undercover officer formed a key part of the government’s case. The operation allowed federal authorities to gather evidence of the alleged conspiracy targeting Gurpatwant Singh Pannun before any attack was carried out.

Sentencing Scheduled in Manhattan Federal Court

With his guilty plea entered, Gupta now faces sentencing later this year in federal court in Manhattan. The maximum penalties for the charges related to the Gurpatwant Singh Pannun plot total up to 40 years if sentences were imposed consecutively, though the final sentence will be determined by the court.

The Gurpatwant Singh Pannun case has highlighted the seriousness with which US authorities treat allegations of targeted violence within the country. By pleading guilty to murder-for-hire and related conspiracy charges, Gupta has admitted his role in the scheme connected to Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

The sentencing hearing on May 29 before U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero will determine the penalties Gupta will face under federal law. Until then, the Gurpatwant Singh Pannun case remains one of the most closely followed federal prosecutions involving an alleged international murder-for-hire conspiracy on US soil.