Sikh Coalition Reaction to Nikhil Gupta’s Guilty Plea

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: media@sikhcoalition.org

Sikh Coalition Reaction to Nikhil Gupta’s Guilty Plea

On Friday, Nikhil Gupta—an Indian national and alleged arms and narcotics trafficker—pleaded guilty to three counts of murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering alleged in a November 2023 indictment. Gupta committed these criminal acts as part of a conspiracy to assassinate at least one U.S.-based Sikh individual.

In response, the Sikh Coalition issued the following statement:

“Gupta’s guilty plea is the first significant step towards justice that we’ve seen since the plot to assassinate Sikhs on U.S. soil was revealed more than two years ago. As important as this development is, however, it is equally critical to recognize that he was not alone. In the words of the FBI, Gupta acted ‘at the direction and coordination of an Indian government employee.’”

“Speaking on Gupta’s plea, U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton wrote that ‘Our message to all nefarious foreign actors should be clear: steer clear of the United States and our people.’ This strong stance is correct—and it must apply to any senior officials in the Indian government who were aware of, aiding, or directing this campaign of violence against Sikhs.”

“We need concrete and high-level action to clarify to India—along with allies and adversaries around the world—that the U.S. government will not tolerate transnational repression nor the infringement on sovereignty and national security that it represents.”

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