Pannun murder plot: Indian national Nikhil Gupta's sentencing in US delayed to Nov 20

A US federal court has postponed the sentencing of Nikhil Gupta, who pleaded guilty to a plot to assassinate Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, until November 20, according to court documents. The original sentencing date of September 25 had to be moved after the intended victim requested additional time to attend and address the court, as reported by PTI based on legal filings.

Though the victim's name was not disclosed in the court papers, Gupta's legal representative has publicly identified him as the intended target of the alleged murder-for-hire scheme. Federal prosecutors submitted a letter to the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, stating that the unnamed victim wishes to participate in the sentencing proceeding and requested the original October 25 hearing be adjourned.

They added that Gupta's defense team had no objections to the rescheduling and would be available on November 6 or November 20. Judge Victor Marrero granted the request and set Gupta's sentencing for November 20 at 10 am sharp. Gupta pleaded guilty on February 13 to three charges, including murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, all related to the alleged plot to kill Pannun.

The maximum penalty for each murder-for-hire and conspiracy charge is 10 years in prison, while the money laundering conspiracy carries a maximum of 20 years. Gupta was apprehended in the Czech Republic on June 30, 2023, and extradited to the US a year later. The US prosecution claims Gupta arranged to pay $100,000 to an undercover hitman to carry out the assassination.

The plot, allegedly directed by an Indian government official named Vikash Yadav, was foiled when the individual Gupta believed to be the hitman turned out to be an undercover US federal agent. The trial is now scheduled for November 20, where the victim's testimony will be heard as part of the sentencing proceedings.