U.S. prosecutors based in Manhattan are preparing to present crucial evidence during a trial that will shed new insights on the 2023 murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia and the alleged involvement of the Indian government in orchestrating the assassination. This evidence will be showcased in the case against Nikhil (Nick) Gupta, who is facing charges related to organizing a murder-for-hire scheme targeting Sikh activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
Should the evidence be accepted, it has the potential to create diplomatic tension between India and Canada as they strive to normalize their diplomatic and trade relationships. Gupta is accused of collaborating with an operative from India’s intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), named Vikash Yadav, to plot the elimination of Pannun, the founder of Sikhs For Justice, and at least three other individuals, including Nijjar, who served as Pannun’s deputy in Canada.
Gupta, aged 53, was apprehended in Czechia and extradited to the U.S. in June 2024. While India brands Pannun as a terrorist, the U.S. and Canada, where Pannun holds citizenship, do not share this perspective. Pannun maintains that his advocacy is centered on conducting peaceful referendums across the Sikh community worldwide.
According to Pannun, the evidence indicates official Indian complicity in the scheme to assassinate Nijjar in Surrey, B.C. Four individuals have been charged with Nijjar’s murder. Gupta has pleaded not guilty, and the claims in the case have yet to be proven in court, with the trial scheduled to commence on November 3.
Negotiations between the Biden administration and the Modi government in October 2024 resulted in an agreement stipulating that Yadav would no longer be associated with the Indian government. The U.S. reportedly agreed not to prosecute Yadav, aiming to safeguard U.S.-Indian relations. By portraying Yadav as an independent actor, India managed to deflect scrutiny from higher-ranking officials, such as Samant Goel, the former head of R&AW, who was initially linked to the New York plot.
Canadian investigators have informed CBC News that the conspiracy reached the upper echelons of the Indian government. The court filing also outlines Gupta’s alleged plans to target a third individual in Nepal or Pakistan, mirroring the modus operandi employed in the plot against Pannun.
The prosecution’s case against Gupta, detailed in a recent court filing, includes references to a video of the Nijjar killing that has not been publicly disclosed. The footage reportedly shows Nijjar after being shot multiple times, slouched over the steering wheel of his vehicle with blood on his shirt. Prosecutors claim that Yadav promptly received the video post-incident and forwarded it to Gupta and other involved parties, including a confidential source and an undercover agent posing as a hitman.
Additionally, the filing reveals wiretap transcripts of conversations between Gupta, the confidential source, and the undercover federal agent discussing the murder video and a purported arms and narcotics smuggling scheme. Gupta allegedly provided an initial payment for the hit and assured that the promised weapons would bypass U.S. Customs.
The court document further elaborates on WhatsApp exchanges between Gupta and Yadav, indicating the latter’s commitment to facilitating weapons procurement post-assassination. The U.S. government aims to present expert testimony from Nitasha Kaul, a professor at the University of Westminster, to shed light on the Indian government’s stance towards Pannun, Nijjar, and their organization, branding them as a threat.
This testimony could challenge India’s narrative of disavowing involvement in the plot and highlight its alleged motives for targeting Sikh separatists. Kaul has personally faced repercussions for her criticism of the Indian government, exemplified by her deportation from India.
