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Nikhil Gupta, an Indian citizen accused by the US of plotting to kill Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, was transferred from a high-security prison facility in Prague to US jurisdiction in mid-November, according to The Indian Express.
This transfer occurred shortly before the indictment was filed in a New York court.
Gupta, aged 52, was arrested and detained by Czech authorities at Prague airport on June 30. He had been in the Czech Republic for ‘business and tourism’ purposes, but the Czech National Drug authorities became aware of his alleged involvement in drug trafficking after a tip-off.
After detaining Gupta, Czech authorities informed the Indian embassy in Prague about his detention based on a US court order. At that time, the Indian embassy was unaware of Gupta's background and followed standard procedures for providing consular assistance to Indian nationals.
They verified Gupta's identity and nationality using his passport details. Throughout this process, the Czech authorities did not disclose the specific offenses Gupta was being investigated for. Gupta did not request legal assistance from the Indian embassy, which is typically sought by distressed Indian nationals overseas. Instead, he arranged for his own legal counsel in Prague to represent him in the Czech criminal justice system.
The IE report also states that Avril Haines, the Director of National Intelligence in the US government, visited India in October and shared concrete information that was going to be included in the US indictment being prepared by federal prosecutors.
This information, which is now publicly available as part of the indictment filed by the US Department of Justice, caught the attention of the Indian government. It took them a few weeks to carefully assess the information, which contained incriminating evidence, and they decided to initiate an investigation, according to the publication.
Meanwhile, the US utilised this information for the indictment. The evidence presented was strong enough for the Czech authorities to transfer the individual to US jurisdiction and hand him over to the FBI. This transfer was carried out in accordance with the extradition treaty between the US and the Czech Republic, the IE report further highlighted.
The FBI's Prague Country Office, the Justice Department's Office of International Affairs, and the Czech Republic's National Drug Headquarters collaborated to facilitate the transfer. During this time, Indian government officials informed their US counterparts about their intention to investigate the provided information. They also agreed to establish a high-level probe panel on November 18 to thoroughly examine all aspects related to the case.
Nikhil Gupta became a blown up name after US released his indictment document, terming him as an accomplice of an Indian intelligence officer who plotted to kill US citizen and Sikh Separatist leader, Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, on US soil; attempts that US claimed to have foiled through their undercover agents.