Gurpatwant Pannun 'murder plot': Supreme Court to hear Nikhil Gupta's petition on 4 January

The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned till January 4 a petition filed by the family of Indian national Nikhil Gupta, accused of allegedly plotting the assassination of Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, seeking the intervention of the government of India to release him from Czech Republic prison.

According to an NDTV report, the court acknowledged this to be an “extremely sensitive matter” for the Ministry of External Affairs, and Justice Sanjiv Khanna first directed the petitioner to “go before the court which is outside India”, making the point that the Supreme Court of India had no jurisdiction over arrests in another country.

“The person detained (Nikhil Gupta) has not given affidavit. If there is violation of any law… you have to go to court over there,” the report quoted Justice Khanna as saying, before relenting and scheduling a hearing for next month.

“Serve copy to central government (also),” the court said before closing the matter for now.

The plea, which states that Gupta was detained illegally on 30 June at Prague airport and remained in solitary confinement for about 100 days, will be heard today by the top court, The Indian Express had reported earlier.

SC to hear today plea filed on behalf of Nikhil Gupta, accused of conspiracy in a failed plot to kill Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Says Gupta was detained illegally on June 30 at Prague airport & remained in solitary confinement for about 100. @IndianExpress

— Ananthakrishnan G (@axidentaljourno) December 15, 2023

On Wednesday, India Today had reported that the ministry of justice of the Czech Republic has confirmed the arrest and provisional custody of Nikhil Gupta. The action was taken at the behest of the US, added the report.

Vladimir Repka, a spokesperson for the Czech ministry of justice, said Gupta was arrested at the request of the US, which later submitted an extradition request. The charges against Gupta include conspiracy to commit murder for hire, as detailed by US authorities, according to the report.

Last month, Nikhil Gupta was charged by US federal prosecutors for allegedly collaborating with an Indian government employee in a thwarted plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, an American and Canadian citizen associated with Sikh extremism.

An unnamed Indian official was also implicated in the indictment, accused by the Department of Justice of hiring someone in the US to carry out the assassination.

India expressed concern over the US linking the Indian official to the conspiracy to kill Pannun, describing it as a “matter of concern.”

The Indian government asserted that appropriate action would be taken based on the findings of an inquiry panel tasked with investigating the allegations. India has already constituted a probe team for this purpose.

During his recent visit to India, US Principal Deputy NSA Jonathan Finer emphasised to New Delhi the importance of holding accountable anyone found responsible in the investigation initiated by India to examine the alleged Indian involvement in the incident.

As Finer concluded his high-profile visit, the White House acknowledged India’s establishment of an inquiry committee to investigate the “lethal plotting” and stressed the necessity of holding those responsible accountable.

The White House’s readout of Finer’s meetings in the national capital did not specify which Indian officials the principal deputy NSA discussed the issue with.

With inputs from agencies