Pannun Assassination Plot: Czech Court Approves Nikhil Gupta's Extradition To US
A Czech appeals court approved the extradition of Indian national Nikhil Gupta to the United States who is accused of being involved in an alleged plot to assassinate Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
A Czech appeals court has given the green light for the extradition of Indian national Nikhil Gupta to the United States. The Justice Ministry revealed on Friday that Prague can proceed with the extradition of the 52-year-old accused of being involved in an alleged plot to assassinate Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil, news agency Reuters reported. The decision now awaits final approval from Justice Minister Pavel Blazek.
Gupta, who was arrested by Czech authorities in June last year upon his arrival from India, is facing accusations from U.S. federal prosecutors. They claim he collaborated with an Indian government official on a plan to kill Pannun, a New York City resident advocating for a sovereign Sikh state in northern India.
According to a report by Reuters, the Prague High Court dismissed Gupta's appeal against a lower court's ruling in December, which initially permitted the extradition. Czech news website www.seznamzpravy.cz first reported on the appeals decision, noting that Gupta had contested his identity, asserting that he was not the person sought by U.S. authorities. He labelled the case as political in nature.
"The time frame for the minister's decision cannot be assumed at this point," a spokesperson from the Justice Ministry stated, as quoted by the report. They added that Gupta is likely to take all possible steps to prevent extradition. The minister has a three-month window to seek Supreme Court intervention if doubts arise about the lower court's decisions.
Notably, the Czech Republic has previously acceded to U.S. extradition requests. The lawyer, as quoted by the Czech news website, indicated plans to urge the minister not to extradite Gupta and suggested intentions to escalate the matter to the Constitutional Court, the report mentioned.
ALSO READ | Gurpatwant Pannun Case: US Judge Rejects Nikhil Gupta's Request For Defence Materials
Pannun Case: Nikhil Gupta Faces Charges Of Murder-For-Hire
Earlier, the Supreme Court of India on January 4 rejected a petition filed on behalf of Gupta, seeking consular access, legal aid, and intervention in the ongoing extradition proceedings in the Czech Republic. Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta termed it a "sensitive" matter and deferred to the Union government to decide whether it wants to intervene, news agency ANI reported. The bench emphasised respecting the jurisdiction of the foreign court handling the case.
According to ANI, the U.S. Justice Department's indictment reveals that Gupta, currently in custody, faces charges of murder-for-hire, carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years. The foiled assassination plot allegedly involved the recruitment of a hitman to target Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who holds American and Canadian citizenship. The indictment claims Gupta's association with an unidentified individual (CC-1), who allegedly directed the plot, also involved international narcotics and weapons trafficking.
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