The United States Department of Justice (DoJ) has confirmed the extradition of Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, in connection with a foiled murder attempt on a US-based Sikh separatist leader.
In a statement released on Monday, June 17, the DoJ announced that Gupta, 53, was extradited from the Czech Republic to the United States to face murder-for-hire charges. The extradition follows Gupta’s arrest and detention in the Czech Republic on June 30, 2023.
“This murder-for-hire plot — allegedly orchestrated by an Indian government employee to kill a U.S. citizen in New York City — was a brazen attempt to silence a political activist for exercising a quintessential American right: his freedom of speech,” said US Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.
Gupta arrived in the US on June 14 and was formally charged on Monday. US Attorney General Merrick B. Garland emphasized the DoJ’s commitment to protecting American citizens, stating, “This extradition makes clear that the Justice Department will not tolerate attempts to silence or harm American citizens. Nikhil Gupta will now face justice in an American courtroom for his involvement in an alleged plot directed by an employee of the Indian government.”
Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Christopher Wray, reinforced the FBI’s stance on protecting constitutional freedoms: “The FBI will not tolerate attempts by foreign nationals, or anyone else, to repress constitutionally-protected freedoms in the United States. We will continue to work with our partners at home and abroad to protect our citizens and these sacred rights.”
The extradition and subsequent charges highlight international cooperation in combating such threats, with gratitude expressed towards Czech authorities for their assistance. The DoJ statement underscores the ongoing efforts to identify, disrupt, and hold accountable those who seek to harm American citizens, whether domestically or internationally.
