An Indian man accused of plotting to assassinate Sikh separatists on American soil is expected to appear in a New York court on Monday on murder charges.
Nikhil Gupta extradited to US over weekend after his arrest in the Czech Republic last year.
he is charged U.S. authorities attempted to hire a hitman to assassinate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who held dual U.S. and Canadian citizenship.
U.S. prosecutors allege that Gupta was directed by unnamed Indian government officials. India denies any involvement in the alleged conspiracy.
Last month, the Czech Constitutional Court reject Mr Gupta has filed a petition denying the charges he faces and opposing his extradition to the United States.
Gupta, 52, is expected to appear in a lower Manhattan court on federal murder-for-hire charges. The charges against him carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Jail records show he is being held at the Federal Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. The BBC has contacted his lawyers for comment.
On Monday, the Czech Justice Minister confirmed media reports that Mr Gupta had been extradited to the United States on Friday, June 14.
In November, U.S. prosecutors charged Gupta with conspiring to kill at least four Sikh separatists in North America, including Pannu.
Prosecutors said Gupta paid a hit man $100,000 (£79,000) in cash to assassinate Pannon. They added that the killer was an undercover federal agent.
Mr. Pannon holds dual U.S. and Canadian citizenship and lives in New York.
He is general counsel for Sikhs for Justice, a U.S.-based group that supports the broader Khalistan movement, which calls for a separate homeland for Sikhs, who make up about 2% of India’s population .
Mr. Pannu was designated a terrorist by the Indian government in 2020, a charge he denies.
He was also an associate of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was shot dead in his car in Canada last year .
The murder soured relations between India and Canada after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed there were “credible allegations” that Delhi was involved. India denies the accusations.
In November, the White House said it had raised the assassination plot against Pannu to the highest levels in India.
Indian officials have distanced themselves from the alleged conspiracy, saying such actions violate government policy. Delhi said it had set up a committee to investigate the allegations against Gupta.
A group of US lawmakers urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken to mount a “robust diplomatic response” to ensure all parties involved “are held accountable”, according to a June 17 letter obtained by the BBC.
The letter added that the United States and India “have a vital relationship in multiple areas” and that their relationship must be “based on a shared commitment to democratic principles and the rule of law.”
In January, the Supreme Court of India reject Mr Gupta made a plea to help him be released and help him get a fair trial. India’s petition claims Mr Gupta was arrested by “self-proclaimed” US federal agents and has yet to receive a fair trial.
India’s Supreme Court said it would not intervene in the case, adding that it was up to the government to take action.
