TOI correspondent from Washington: In a dramatic courtroom reversal, Indian national Nikhil Gupta pleaded guilty Friday to federal charges in a foiled plot to kill Gurpatwant Pannun, a pro-Khalistan separatist and US citizen. Gupta, 54, appearing before US magistrate judge Sarah Netburn, admitted to three counts: murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murderfor-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The plea marks a striking turnaround from Gupta’s previous stance. Since his extradition from Czech Republic in June 2024, he had denied wrongdoing. Legal analysts suggest Gupta’s decision to plead guilty stems from overwhelming evidence amassed by federal prosecutors.
