In a shocking development, federal prosecutors have unveiled charges against an Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, for his alleged involvement in a murder-for-hire plot orchestrated by an unidentified Indian government employee. The plot targeted a Sikh activist residing in New York City, whom the Indian government allegedly considers a terrorist. Gupta was apprehended in the Czech Republic on June 30 on charges of murder-for-hire, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.

The arrest came as a result of Gupta's attempt to hire a hit man, who, unbeknownst to Gupta, was an undercover officer from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Gupta allegedly sought the assistance of a criminal associate in finding a hit man and was connected to the DEA source posing as a professional assassin, as stated in the indictment.

The Indian government employee, who remains unidentified, allegedly reached out to Gupta in May, offering to orchestrate the assassination in exchange for assistance in dismissing a criminal case pending against Gupta in India. The employee provided Gupta with crucial information about the intended victim, including contact details, daily routines, and residential address in New York City. Astonishingly, the indictment reveals that the employee was willing to pay a whopping $100,000 for the successful execution of the plot.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen emphasized the significance of the law enforcement agencies' intervention, stating, "The dedicated law enforcement agents and prosecutors in this case foiled and exposed a dangerous plot to assassinate a U.S. citizen on U.S. soil." Olsen pledged that the Department of Justice would diligently utilize its full powers to bring accountability to those involved in such lethal plotting originating from overseas.

Adding an ominous layer to this disturbing episode, a related incident occurred in Canada just prior to Gupta's arrest. Hardeep Singh Nijjaran, an associate of the intended victim, was tragically gunned down outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia on June 18. Gupta allegedly informed the undercover agent that Nijjaran had also been targeted, suggesting that there were additional individuals marked for assassination. Prosecutors claim that due to Nijjaran's murder, Gupta instructed the hit man not to wait any longer to carry out the assassination.

In September, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made claims that his government was investigating "credible allegations" regarding the involvement of Indian government agents in Nijjaran's death. The Indian foreign ministry dismissed Trudeau's claims as "absurd," and tensions between the two countries have strained relationships, resulting in Trudeau not having a formal bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the G20 Summit.

The alleged target of the murder-for-hire plot is a prominent attorney and political activist of Indian origin, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Pannun leads an organization in the United States advocating for the secession of Punjab to establish a Sikh sovereign state named Khalistan. The Indian government has banned Pannun and his organization from India in response.

Gupta now faces charges of murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, each carrying a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. As the details surrounding this chilling plot continue to unfold, questions regarding the involvement of the Indian government and the broader implications for Sikh activism persist. The Indian Embassy in the U.S. has not yet responded to inquiries seeking comments on the matter.

It is important to note that these charges are merely allegations at this stage, and Gupta is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The investigation into this murder-for-hire plot remains ongoing as authorities work to reveal all relevant facts and ensure justice is served.