Nikhil Gupta, a 54-year-old Indian national, has pleaded guilty in a Manhattan federal court to charges tied to a failed assassination plot against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a U.S.-based pro-Khalistani activist and leader of the banned group Sikhs for Justice. Gupta admitted to paying $15,000 to someone he believed was a hitman to kill Pannun in mid-2023 in New York City. He originally pleaded not guilty upon his extradition from the Czech Republic in June 2024 but reversed his plea this month.

Gupta pleaded guilty to three serious offences: murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, which together carry a maximum sentence of up to 40 years in prison.

U.S. prosecutors allege he was recruited by an Indian government official named in U.S. indictments as Vikash Yadav, who remains at large in India. The plot fell apart when the supposed hitman was actually an undercover law enforcement officer.

The case has drawn diplomatic attention, with India denying government involvement and underscoring that such conduct does not reflect its official policy. Gupta’s sentencing is scheduled for May 2026.