The trial of a man accused of orchestrating assassinations for the Indian government in New York has been postponed. The accused, Nikhil (Nick) Gupta, who is also facing charges related to drug and arms smuggling, was set to stand trial in New York City. The allegations against Gupta involve a conspiracy with Indian government officials and the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), the country’s overseas intelligence service, to eliminate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh independence activist declared a terrorist by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration.
Prosecutors plan to introduce new evidence, including wiretap recordings and video footage, related to the killing of Pannun’s Canadian associate, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Surrey, B.C., in 2023. The trial may complicate efforts by the Indian and Canadian governments to move past the Nijjar controversy and restore normal diplomatic relations by shedding light on India’s potential involvement in the Nijjar case.
Gupta requested the trial delay, expressing dissatisfaction with his court-appointed attorney and insisting on representing himself. Allegations of unprofessional conduct by his former lawyer, including failure to file motions on Gupta’s behalf, led to the delay granted by Senior U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero. A new trial date will be set during a pre-trial conference on Nov. 14, with Gupta now assigned a new public defender, David Touger, although he still desires to represent himself.
While Gupta is not directly implicated in the plot to harm Hardeep Singh Nijjar, U.S. prosecutors intend to explore the connections between the alleged Pannun conspiracy and the group responsible for Nijjar’s killing in Surrey. The link between the incidents is alleged to be unindicted co-conspirator Vikash Yadav, a former R&AW agent based in India. Wiretapped conversations and recordings between Gupta and individuals involved in the conspiracy are expected to be presented at trial.
The Indian government has acknowledged Yadav’s involvement in the conspiracy but denies higher-level government participation. However, evidence to be presented during the trial could challenge India’s narrative and potentially link the two cases. Authorities possess wiretap evidence showing Gupta sharing a video of Nijjar’s killing with a supposed hitman shortly after the incident, urging the hitman to proceed with targeting and assassinating Pannun in New York.