Pannun case: Czech court rejects Gupta's petition against US extradition

THE Czech Constitutional Court has dismissed the petition of an Indian individual against his extradition to the US in connection to an alleged conspiracy to assassinate an American citizen in New York.

Nikhil Gupta faces charges from the US government for attempting to hire a hitman to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh separatist leader based in the US and a vocal critic of India's Narendra Modi government.

Currently detained in Prague, capital of the Czech Republic, Gupta's extradition awaits a final decision from the country's justice minister.

The charges against him carry a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison. In November last year, US prosecutors accused Gupta of a conspiracy to kill at least four Sikh separatists in North America, including Pannun.

Read: India’s response in Pannun case satisfactory: US envoy

It was alleged that Gupta had given $100,000 (£79,000) in cash to a hitman to eliminate Pannun, a dual US-Canadian citizen.

However, prosecutors revealed that the supposed hitman was, in fact, an undercover federal agent.

Gupta allegedly received instructions from an Indian government official who was unnamed and not charged in the indictment.

Read: India to probe US concerns linking it to foiled Pannun murder plot

New Delhi has labelled Pannun as a terrorist, a claim he refutes, asserting himself as an activist advocating for Khalistan, a separate homeland for the Sikhs.

The White House said that it had addressed the purported assassination plan with India at the top level. However, Indian officials distanced themselves from the plot, saying such actions contradicted official government policy. India also formed a committee to probe into the allegations against Gupta.

In January, Gupta's plea to India's Supreme Court for assistance in securing his release and ensuring a fair trial was rejected.

The petition argued that Gupta was apprehended by individuals claiming to be US federal agents and had not received a fair trial.

India's top court declined to intervene in the matter and put the ball into the government's court.