The News Freedom
New Delhi, December 15
The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a plea seeking the release of an Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, currently imprisoned in the Czech Republic. Gupta, alleged to be involved in a failed assassination plot against Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on US soil, is seeking intervention from the Indian government to secure his release.
The apex court, during a hearing also directed Gupta’s lawyer to serve a copy of the petition to the central government counsel. Notably, Gupta’s lawyer also requested an in-camera proceeding, which the court agreed to consider for the next hearing scheduled on January 4.
The Czech authorities arrested and detained Gupta on June 30 pursuant to the bilateral extradition treaty between the United States and the Czech Republic.
Rohini Moosa, counsel for Nikhil Gupta said that we have filed a petition by a near friend of an Indian citizen who has been illegally detained in the Republic of Czech and is now facing extradition proceedings to the US. “We have filed the petition seeking certain assistance from the ministry that would be available to any Indian citizen who has been illegally detained abroad. The Supreme Court has directed the matter to be listed on January 4 and a copy to be served on the government,” she added
On November 30 reacting to the United States Justice Department’s unsealed indictment alleging the involvement of two Indians in a plot to eliminate Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the Ministry of External Affairssaid that as regards to the case against an individual that has been filed in a US court, allegedly linking him to an Indian official, this is a matter of concern.
“We have said that this is also contrary to government policy. The nexus between organised crime, trafficking, gunrunning and extremists at an international level is a serious issue for law enforcement agencies and organisations to consider and it is for that reason that a high-level inquiry committee has been constituted and we will be guided by its results,” MEA Official Spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi, had said during a press conference in New Delhi.
He also told the media that during the course of discussions with the US on bilateral security cooperation, the US side shared some inputs pertaining to the nexus between organised criminals, gunrunners, terrorists and other extremists. “We take such inputs very seriously and a high-level inquiry committee has been constituted to look into all the relevant aspects of the matter. Necessary follow-up action will be taken based on the findings of the inquiry committee,” Bagchi said.
However, he had refused to divulge the details of bilateral talks due to security reasons.
The United States Justice Department on November 29 charged Indians including a government employee for an alleged conspiracy to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu. The US Department of Justice had filed murder-for-hire charges against Indian national Nikhil Gupta in connection with his participation in a foiled plot to assassinate a US citizen in New York City. In an official statement, the United States Justice Department said that the charges are contained in a superseding indictment unsealed today in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. The case is pending before US District Judge Victor Marrero.
“ The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty,” said the United States Justice Department.