Indian national accused of plotting to kill Sikh leader appears in US court

An Indian man accused of plotting to kill a Sikh separatist leader in New York City Monday appeared in a federal court, where he pleaded not guilty.

It was the first appearance of accused Nikhil Gupta in the court after being extradited from the Czech Republic and landing in the United States on Friday.

He is charged by US authorities with trying to hire a hit man to assassinate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a U.S. citizen, who is the legal advisor to Sikhs for Justice (SfJ), an advocacy group, which is campaigning for an independent state of Khalistan.

“This murder-for-hire plot — allegedly orchestrated by an Indian government employee to kill a U.S. citizen in New York City — was a brazen attempt to silence a political activist for exercising a quintessential American right: his freedom of speech,” US Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said.