Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, has pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn for his role in a conspiracy to assassinate a United States citizen in New York City, acting at the direction of an Indian government official.
Gupta, who engaged in the plot in 2023 alongside co-conspirators including Vikash Yadav, sought to target a U.S.-based leader of the Sikh movement. According to court filings, Gupta believed that operating from outside the United States would allow him to carry out the murder without consequence, simply for the individual’s exercise of their American constitutional right to free speech.
“This case demonstrates that no one, domestic or foreign, can circumvent the rule of law in the United States,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr.. “At the direction and coordination of an employee of the Indian government, Gupta conspired to assassinate a U.S. citizen on American soil, facilitating a foreign adversary’s unlawful effort to silence a vocal critic. Justice will not be undermined by such attempts.”
The investigation revealed that Gupta collaborated with others in India and elsewhere to carry out the plot. Law enforcement authorities acted swiftly to prevent any harm, highlighting the U.S. government’s commitment to protecting citizens from threats originating both domestically and internationally.
This guilty plea underscores the seriousness with which U.S. authorities pursue cases involving conspiracies orchestrated by foreign actors targeting individuals exercising protected rights within the United States. Prosecutors are expected to seek a significant sentence reflecting the gravity of attempting to subvert American justice through foreign-directed violence.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, in coordination with other law enforcement agencies, continues to monitor threats posed by foreign-directed conspiracies against U.S. citizens and officials. Authorities have emphasized that attempts to intimidate or silence individuals through violence will be met with the full force of U.S. law.
