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Indian suspect in attempted murder case pleads innocent
STORY: An Indian man accused by US prosecutors of plotting but failing to kill a Sikh separatist in the US has pleaded not guilty in Manhattan federal court to conspiracy to solicit murder. Nikhil Gupta was also ordered detained pending trial. He is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, according to US Bureau of Prisons records. US federal prosecutors allege that Gupta conspired with Indian government officials to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a US resident who advocates for the creation of a Sikh state in northern India. Last June, Gupta travelled from India to Prague and was arrested by Czech authorities. :: Source: Czech Police A video released by Czech police on Monday shows two NYPD officers escorting the handcuffed suspect out of Prague’s airport. Czech Justice Minister Pavel Blazek said Gupta was extradited to the US on Friday. The revelation of alleged assassination plots against Sikh separatists in the United States and Canada has put ties with India to the test. The Indian government has denied any involvement in such plots. :: September 25, 2023 :: Toronto, Canada :: Surrey, Canada Canada said in September that its intelligence agencies were pursuing allegations linking the Indian government to the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year. :: New Delhi US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with India’s foreign minister on Monday to discuss bilateral ties between Washington and New Delhi. New Delhi has long complained about Sikh separatist groups outside India, viewing them as a security threat. These groups continue the Khalistan movement, which seeks the creation of a Sikh state independent of India. The US said last month that it was pleased with India’s moves so far to ensure accountability for the alleged plots, but added that more steps still need to be taken.
