The trial for an individual accused of orchestrating assassinations for the Indian government in New York, known as the murder-for-hire trial, has faced a postponement. Nikhil (Nick) Gupta, an alleged smuggler of drugs and arms, was scheduled to begin trial proceedings in New York City on Monday.
Gupta stands accused of collaborating with Indian government officials and the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), the country’s overseas intelligence service, to plan the assassination of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh independence activist and dual U.S.-Canadian citizen labeled a terrorist by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration.
Prosecutors have filed pre-trial motions indicating their intent to introduce new evidence, such as wiretaps and video footage, related to the murder of Pannun’s Canadian associate, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Surrey, B.C., in 2023. By resurfacing the controversy surrounding India’s alleged involvement in Nijjar’s death and presenting fresh evidence implicating Indian officials, the trial could complicate efforts to resolve the Nijjar issue and restore normal diplomatic relations between Canada and India.
In a bid to represent himself, Gupta requested a trial delay after expressing dissatisfaction with the court-appointed public defender. Allegations surfaced that the assigned lawyer had engaged with an assistant U.S. attorney about the case, leading Gupta to believe his defense was compromised. Gupta accused the lawyer of unprofessional behavior and deception, including neglecting to file a motion to dismiss charges on Gupta’s behalf and falsely claiming the judge had rejected it.
Following Gupta’s motion acceptance, the trial has been postponed, with a pre-trial conference scheduled for November 14 to establish a new trial date. While Gupta has been assigned a new public defender, he remains adamant about representing himself.
While Gupta is not directly implicated in the plot to assassinate Hardeep Singh Nijjar, U.S. prosecutors intend to delve into the connections between the alleged Pannun conspiracy and the B.C. group responsible for Nijjar’s death. The court filing implicates unindicted co-conspirator Vikash Yadav, a former R&AW agent based in India, as a key figure linking the two incidents.
Prosecutors plan to present wiretapped conversations between Gupta and an individual he believed would assist in the assassination, who turned out to be a confidential informant. Recordings of discussions between Gupta and an undercover federal agent posing as a hitman are also expected to be presented during the trial.
Despite the Modi government’s acknowledgment of Yadav’s involvement in the conspiracy, it denies higher-level government complicity and portrays Yadav as a rogue actor. India refutes any connection to the Nijjar killing. Evidence to be unveiled at trial is likely to challenge India’s efforts to keep the cases distinct.
Federal authorities claim to possess wiretap evidence showing Gupta presenting a recent video of Nijjar’s killing to the supposed hitman shortly after the incident, urging him to pursue and eliminate Pannun in New York.
