The Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi, disclosed on Thursday that Indian authorities have thrice obtained consular access to Nikhil Gupta. Gupta, a 52-year-old Indian national, currently held in a Czech Republic jail, faces indictment by US authorities over an alleged plot to assassinate Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
Gupta's arrest on June 30 in the Czech Republic, at the behest of US authorities, is linked to accusations of his involvement in planning the murder of Pannun, an American citizen.
In a recent plea to the Supreme Court of India, Gupta's family asserted that he was denied consular access, the right to contact his family in India, and the freedom to seek legal representation.
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The US Justice Department formally charged Gupta on November 20 for his alleged role in the murder plot. According to US officials, Gupta agreed to pay $100,000 to an assassin, with an initial payment of $15,000 made on June 9, 2023. However, the person he contacted for the job turned out to be a confidential source collaborating with US law enforcement.
Terming the charges a "matter of concern" and contrary to "government policy," New Delhi has announced a high-level probe into the allegations.
Update on death penalty for eight former Indian Navy personnel in Qatar.
The Ministry of External Affairs also provided an update on the case involving the death penalty for eight former Indian Navy personnel in Qatar.
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According to MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, the case of eight former Indian Navy personnel facing the death penalty in Qatar is now in the court of appeal. There have been three hearings so far.
The eight individuals, veterans of the Indian Navy have been sentenced to death in Qatar on unspecified charges. The Court of First Instance of Qatar sentenced the men to death in October. In November, the Qatar Court of Appeal accepted the Indian government’s application against the death sentence. While there have been hearings, the final decision is pending.
