Indian officials linked to murder plot, assassination plans in Nepal or Pakistan, US court alleges

Bloomberg reports new documents filed allege Nikhil Gupta, Vikash Yadav were involved in broader murder-for-hire plot

A murder-for-hire plot involving an Indian government official allegedly included plans to assassinate an individual in Nepal or Pakistan, according to newly filed court documents in New York, reported Bloomberg.

The US Department of Justice had previously accused Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, of attempting to assassinate a US-based Sikh activist, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, in New York.

The plot was reportedly orchestrated by Vikash Yadav, an officer in India’s external intelligence agency, RAW. Gupta was arrested in the Czech Republic in June 2023 and extradited to the US, while Yadav remains in India.

In federal court documents filed this week, US prosecutors linked Gupta and Yadav to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh activist murdered in Canada in 2023. Both Nijjar and Pannun were vocal critics of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and had been labelled as terrorists by the Indian government.

The new allegations suggest that the murder-for-hire plot extended beyond New York, potentially involving targets in neighboring countries, including Nepal and Pakistan.

India has denied involvement in Nijjar’s death but conducted an internal investigation into the alleged plot, concluding that it was the work of rogue Indian agents.

The government removed the official responsible, according to Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s External Affairs Ministry. Gupta has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the US has issued an arrest warrant for Yadav.

This case could strain India’s already delicate relations with other countries. Tensions between the US and India have also risen, with the Trump administration imposing a 50% tariff on India for purchasing Russian oil.

The allegations come at a challenging time for Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who is working to restore relations with India. Canada has charged four Indian nationals in connection with Nijjar’s murder, and the case is ongoing in court.

Gupta’s trial is scheduled to begin on November 3 in the Southern District of New York. According to court filings, prosecutors gathered evidence through "hundreds of WhatsApp Messenger communications" and emails between Gupta and Yadav, detailing their discussions about the planned assassinations and weapons sales.