Nikhil Gupta US Court Guilty Plea: Will Indian citizen Nikhil Gupta get relief in the case related to the conspiracy to murder Khalistani supporter Gurpatwant Singh Pannu in America? Will Nikhil Gupta be released from jail? Can India initiate diplomatic initiative on Nikhil Gupta case? Nikhil Gupta is going to be sentenced to 24 years to 40 years in the American court in the month of May. 54-year-old Indian citizen Nikhil alias Nick pleaded guilty in the US court on three serious charges like attempt to murder Pannu by giving betel nut, conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to money laundering. Nikhil was arrested in the Czech Republic in June 2023 and later sent to New York to stand trial. In such a situation, the big question now is whether the Government of India can get Nikhil Gupta pardoned or his sentence reduced through diplomatic initiative?

Recently, a major development has come to light in the case of alleged conspiracy to murder Khalistani separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannu in New York. Nikhil Gupta has confessed to his crime in a federal court in New York on 13 February 2026. Nikhil is accused of trying to hire a ‘hitman’ i.e. a hired killer to murder Pannu on the instructions of a former Indian Government official. According to the US Justice Department, Nikhil Gupta can face a maximum of 24 to 40 years in prison under these charges. The formal announcement of the punishment is scheduled to take place on 29 May 2026.

Who is Nikhil Gupta and what are the allegations against him?

Nikhil Gupta is a citizen of India and lived here before his arrest. He described himself as an international dealer of narcotics and weapons. One of his special people was Vikas Yadav. He is also an accused. Yadav is accused of working in the Research and Analysis Wing of India’s Foreign Intelligence Service. However, this has not been confirmed. For this, Nikhil contacted a person, who unknowingly turned out to be a secret source of the American agency ‘Drug Enforcement Administration’ (DEA). Nikhil made a deal to murder Pannu for $1,00,000 (approximately ₹83 lakh) and also gave $15,000 advance. While visiting the Czech Republic in June 2023, he was arrested by local police and extradited to the United States in June 2024.

Can they come out with the initiative of the Government of India?

Opinion of legal experts is divided regarding the chances of Nikhil Gupta coming out of jail or returning to India. Some of its main aspects are as follows:

Government’s official stance: The Government of India has denied any involvement in this conspiracy from the very beginning. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has clearly said that the conspiracy to murder Pannu is against government policy. However, India has formed a ‘High-Level Inquiry Committee’ to investigate this matter.

Effect of Guilty Plea: After Nikhil confesses the crime, the case will not go to trial. Experts believe that he might have made this agreement to get some concession in punishment in exchange for ‘Acceptance of Responsibility’.

Diplomatic intervention: The Indian government is providing them ‘consular access’ (diplomatic help), but it is almost impossible to get them released directly after being convicted under US law. Only under the ‘Prisoner Transfer Treaty’ would it be possible for him to serve the remaining sentence in an Indian jail, but America’s consent is mandatory for this.

What happened in the court?

During the hearing, Nikhil Gupta admitted that he had conspired to murder Pannu. The FBI has described this case as ‘transnational repression’ i.e. an attempt by a country to suppress its opponents on the soil of another country. Pannu, who is a leader of ‘Sikhs for Justice’ and holds dual US-Canadian citizenship, is a declared terrorist in India. But America has taken a very tough stance, considering it an attack on ‘freedom of expression’.