The trial of an individual accused of plotting assassinations for the Indian government in New York has been postponed. Scheduled to commence in New York City, the trial of alleged arms and drug smuggler Nikhil (Nick) Gupta has been delayed. Gupta is facing charges of collaborating with Indian government officials and the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), the overseas intelligence agency, to plan the murder of 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 have filed pre-trial motions indicating their intent to present new evidence, such as wiretaps and videos, related to the killing of Pannun’s Canadian associate, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Surrey, B.C., in 2023. The trial’s reintroduction of the controversy surrounding India’s alleged involvement in Nijjar’s death and the unveiling of new evidence linking Indian officials could complicate efforts by both the Indian and Canadian governments to move past the Nijjar issue and restore normal diplomatic relations.
Gupta, who has expressed a desire to represent himself, requested the trial delay. He raised concerns about the court-appointed public defender and has insisted on handling his own defense. In a motion to Senior U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero, Gupta accused his lawyer of unprofessional behavior, including failing to file a motion to dismiss charges and providing misleading information about the judge’s decision on the matter. As a result, the trial has been postponed, with a pre-trial conference set for Nov. 14 to determine a new start date.
Although Gupta is not directly implicated in the plot to assassinate Hardeep Singh Nijjar, U.S. prosecutors plan to delve into the connections between the alleged Pannun conspiracy and the group responsible for Nijjar’s killing in a Surrey gurdwara parking lot. The filings suggest that Vikash Yadav, an unindicted co-conspirator and former R&AW agent based in India, was the link between the two incidents. Wiretapped conversations between Gupta and an informant posing as an assassin, as well as recordings with an undercover federal agent, are expected to be presented at trial.
While the Modi government has acknowledged Yadav’s involvement in the conspiracy, it has denied higher-level government participation, attributing the actions to a rogue individual. India has refuted any involvement in the Nijjar killing. The evidence presented at trial is likely to challenge India’s efforts to keep the two cases separate. Federal authorities claim to possess wiretap evidence showing Gupta sharing a video of Nijjar’s murder with a supposed hitman shortly after the incident, urging the hitman to proceed with targeting and eliminating the intended victim, Pannun.