Who Is Nikhil Gupta? Indian National Who Pleaded Guilty In Pannun Murder Plot

Indian national Nikhil Gupta is due to be sentenced in a US court on November 20 after pleading guilty to charges arising from a murder-for-hire plot targeting Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York. Ahead of the hearing, Gupta has apologised to US District Judge Victor Marrero and said in a letter that he wished he could undo his actions.

“I had lost my mind... wish I could turn back time to 2023 and undo my mistakes,” Gupta wrote, describing heavy drinking and personal difficulties during that period. He also said he struggled with suicidal thoughts after his arrest and turned to meditation, yoga and spiritual books while in custody.

The case has drawn attention in India and the US because prosecutors alleged that Gupta worked with an Indian government employee. India has denied any state role in the plot and said such actions are contrary to government policy.

Who is Nikhil Gupta?

Gupta is an Indian national who was arrested in the Czech Republic in June 2023 at the request of US authorities. He was extradited to the US in June 2024 and initially pleaded not guilty. On February 13, 2026, he pleaded guilty to three federal charges: murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

The charges relate to a 2023 plot to kill Pannun, a US citizen and legal counsel for the group Sikhs for Justice. Pannun has been designated an “individual terrorist” by India.

What Does The US Case Allege?

US prosecutors allege that Gupta worked with others, including Vikash Yadav, described in the indictment as an Indian government employee, to arrange Pannun’s killing. Prosecutors said Gupta contacted a person he believed to be a hitman. That person was, in fact, an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration officer, according to the US Justice Department.

The indictment alleged that Gupta arranged a $15,000 advance payment and exchanged messages about the proposed killing. The Justice Department said the plot was disrupted by US law enforcement. Yadav was charged separately in 2024; the allegations against him have not been adjudicated in the US case against Gupta.

Gupta’s case has also had a diplomatic dimension. In January 2025, India’s Ministry of Home Affairs said a government-appointed inquiry committee had recommended “legal action against an individual” whose criminal links and antecedents had emerged during its investigation. The ministry did not name that person in its statement. India has said it took the US inputs seriously, while denying that the alleged plot reflected government policy.

What Gupta And Prosecutors Say About His Role

In his letter to Judge Marrero, Gupta said he had acted alone and expressed remorse. He described being held in solitary confinement in the Czech Republic before his transfer to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. He wrote that he was unable to contact his family for several weeks after his arrest and said yoga and spiritual reading helped him cope with detention.

The defence has argued for a substantially shorter sentence, saying Gupta accepted responsibility and had no prior criminal record. His lawyers have also argued that he was pressured by Yadav, whom he believed could help resolve a criminal case in India. According to the defence, Gupta was told the case was “fake” and “all clear”.

Prosecutors have rejected that account. They said Gupta was motivated by potential profits, including money from weapons and drug shipments, and argued that his actions involved planning over weeks, rather than a brief lapse in judgement caused by alcohol.

“The defendant’s conduct was as brutal as it was brazen,” prosecutors wrote, arguing that the sentence should reflect the seriousness of the plot. They have asked Judge Marrero to impose 293 months in prison—just over 24 years. Gupta’s lawyers have sought 144 months, or 12 years, in line with a recommendation they say came from the Probation Department. The judge will determine the sentence. The charges carry a combined maximum of 40 years in prison.

November 20 Hearing

Prosecutors have asked the court to allow Pannun, the intended target, about 20 minutes to address the judge during sentencing. They have also said they expect to present audio or video material lasting up to 15 minutes. The court has not yet ruled on the requests, according to the latest filings.

Gupta has said he will accept the court’s decision. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 20 before Judge Marrero in the Southern District of New York.