Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, has pleaded guilty before a US court to charges related to orchestrating an assassination plot against Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York.
Gupta, 54, pleaded guilty before US Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn to three counts: murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29 by US District Judge Victor Marrero.
According to reports, Gupta could face 20 to 24 years in prison under the recommended federal sentencing guidelines.
In a statement, the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York said: “NIKHIL GUPTA, a/k/a "Nick," an Indian national, pled guilty to all three counts contained in the Second Superseding Indictment, charging him with murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, in connection with his efforts to murder a U.S. citizen in New York City.”
According to US Attorney Jay Clayton, the murder-for-hire charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire also carries a maximum of 10 years; and conspiracy to commit money laundering carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.
Following an investigation by FBI New York, @DEANEWYORKDiv, and @SDNYnews, Nikhil Gupta pled guilty to plotting to assassinate a U.S. citizen in New York City.
— FBI New York (@NewYorkFBI) February 13, 2026
Read more about the FBI's continued commitment to defend the homeland from foreign nationals targeting our citizens… pic.twitter.com/cElDtolY5y
The Indian government has denied any association or involvement in the alleged plot to kill an American national on US soil. However, allegations of assassination attempts against Sikh separatists in the United States and Canada have strained diplomatic relations.
Earlier, US authorities charged Vikas Yadav, 39, a former Indian government official, with murder-for-hire and money laundering in connection with his alleged role in directing the foiled plot against Pannun.
Prosecutors allege that Yadav and Gupta conspired during the summer of 2023 to assassinate the Sikh separatist leader. Gupta allegedly hired an individual to carry out the killing. The individual—who was later identified as an informant for the Federal Bureau of Investigation—reportedly demanded $100,000 for the operation and received an advance payment of $15,000 on June 9, 2023.
Federal prosecutors further claimed in an indictment that there were links between this alleged plot and the killing of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada during the same period. They stated that communications were shared among Yadav, Gupta, and the alleged hitman concerning both incidents.
