The trial of a man accused of orchestrating assassinations for the Indian government in New York has been postponed. Nikhil (Nick) Gupta, who is alleged to be involved in drug and arms smuggling, was set to face trial in New York City. He is charged with plotting, along with Indian government officials and its intelligence service, to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh activist designated as a terrorist by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration.
Prosecutors have indicated that they will introduce new evidence during the trial, including wiretaps and videos related to the murder of Pannun’s deputy, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Surrey, B.C., in 2023. This development could reignite the controversy surrounding India’s role in the Nijjar case and complicate efforts to resolve the matter diplomatically between India and Canada.
Gupta, seeking to represent himself, requested the trial delay due to his dissatisfaction with the court-appointed public defender, Matthew Laroche. Gupta accused Laroche of unprofessional conduct and requested to defend himself in court. The judge granted Gupta’s motion to postpone the trial, with a new date to be scheduled after a pre-trial conference on November 14. Although Gupta has been assigned a new public defender, David Touger, he remains adamant about representing himself.
While Gupta is not directly linked to the plot to assassinate Hardeep Singh Nijjar, U.S. prosecutors intend to explore the connections between the alleged Pannun plot and the group responsible for Nijjar’s killing in Surrey. The court documents highlight Vikash Yadav, an unindicted co-conspirator and former R&AW agent, as a key figure in the case. Wiretapped conversations and recordings between Gupta and individuals involved in the conspiracy are expected to be presented at the trial.
The Modi government has acknowledged Yadav’s involvement but denies any higher-level government participation in the conspiracy. However, evidence presented at the trial is likely to challenge India’s claims and potentially link the two cases. Federal authorities possess wiretap evidence showing Gupta sharing a video of Nijjar’s killing with a supposed hitman shortly after the incident, urging him to target Pannun in New York.