Indian National Pleads Guilty In Failed Murder Plot Case

In a dramatic legal development in the United States, an Indian national named Nikhil Gupta has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges connected with a failed assassination plot targeting a Khalistani separatist leader living in New York City. The plea marks a major turning point in a case that has attracted international attention and raised complicated questions about cross border conspiracies and legal accountability.

Gupta, who is 54 years old, appeared before a Manhattan federal court and admitted to multiple serious charges including murder for hire, conspiracy to commit murder for hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The charges stem from an attempt to pay someone to kill a well known Sikh separatist figure who holds American citizenship and has been involved in advocacy for a separate state.

According to statements by prosecutors, Gupta believed he was arranging the murder through contacts who he thought were criminal associates, but in reality those individuals were undercover law enforcement working with US authorities. Gupta reportedly agreed to pay a large sum and even delivered part of the money before the plot was uncovered, leading to his arrest and later extradition.

At the plea hearing, Gupta acknowledged responsibility for the conspiracy and admitted that his actions included trying to hire someone to carry out the killing. Legal experts say that by pleading guilty, Gupta may be cooperating with prosecutors, but he still faces a potentially long prison sentence when he is formally sentenced later this year. Court documents suggest he could receive decades in prison, depending on how judges apply the law.

The target of the plot is a US resident who has been designated a terrorist by the Indian government and is known for his vocal support of an independent Sikh state. That political status has made the case especially complex, with some experts saying the plot highlights how political disputes can sometimes spill across borders in dangerous ways.

US officials have emphasised that assassination plots against citizens, regardless of political belief, will be met with the full force of law, and that individuals involved in such schemes will be held accountable. For now, Gupta’s guilty plea closes one chapter of the case, and attention turns to his upcoming sentencing and possible diplomatic consequences in the months ahead.