In a stunning legal advance, Nikhil Gupta, an Indian citizen accused of orchestrating a foiled "murder-for-hire" conspiracy targeting the Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, confessed in a Manhattan federal court. The revelation on Friday, February 13, 2026 signals a turning point to an investigation that has strained relations between India and the United States. Gupta, 54, admitted to his involvement in a plan to assassinate the dual U.S.-Canadian citizen at a court hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn.
The Charges and the Possible Sentence
Nikhil Gupta pleaded guilty to all three of the charges in the indictment against him. Although the theoretical maximum penalty for these combined charges is 40 years, federal sentencing requirements indicate something different. The final sentencing by U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero is likely to take place on May 29, 2026.
The Details of the Foiled Plot
As the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) and the FBI’s investigations indicated, it was not a simple case of “local repression” but a complex project of “transnational repression.” Prosecutors allege that Gupta was recruited in May 2023 by an Indian government official, Vikash Yadav, to coordinate the assassination of Pannun.
The Sting
Gupta phoned someone he thought was a felon to obtain a hitman. What he didn’t know was that the one involved had been a confidential informant from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), who introduced Gupta to an undercover officer posing as a contract killer.
The Payment
Gupta allegedly agreed to pay $100,000 for the murder and delivered an advance payment of $15,000 in New York City in June 2023.
The Links
U.S. authorities have connected this case with the June 2023 killing of another Sikh separatist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Canada as well, putting the country’s broader pattern for targeting dissidents abroad on display.
Diplomatic and Government Response
India has systematically pulled its support off the plot and said that such behavior violates government policy.
High-level investigation
After the first U.S. indictment in 2023, India formed a high-level committee to investigate the security issues.
Legal Action
India recommended prosecuting a particular official (Yadav) in January 2025 based on an “uncovering of criminal links and antecedents” in the committee’s report.
In the wake of the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton gave one stern warning: “Our message to nefarious foreign agents should be a clear one: avoid the United States and our citizens. Whatever direction you have taken in trying to harm our citizens, we will not stop until you are brought to justice.”
