54-year-old Nikhil Gupta, an Indian man, pleaded guilty to plotting to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Khalistani separatist leader and a US citizen. Gupta pleaded guilty to all three charges of murder for hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. His sentencing will take place in May 2026.
In 2023, Gupta worked with others including Vikas Yadav to plot the killing of Pannun, whom US court documents identified as a vocal critic of the Indian government. "The Victim has publicly called for some or all of Punjab to secede from India and establish a Sikh sovereign state called Khalistan, and the Indian government has banned the Victim and his separatist organization from India," the department said.
