On Monday, Czech police confirmed the extradition of an Indian citizen, Nikhil Gupta, to the United States. The US Justice Department previously charged Gupta with plotting to assassinate a Sikh separatist leader on US soil. The case also alleged the involvement of an Indian government official in the planning of the assassination plot targeting a US citizen of Indian origin.
According to Czech police, Gupta was handed over to the US judiciary on Friday and was safely extradited from a Prague airport. Video footage of Gupta being escorted onto a plane was released by Czech authorities.
Gupta was detained at the Prague airport on June 30, 2023, following the extradition orders issued by the US Justice Department. The Justice Department claimed that the intended target of the assassination is a prominent critic of the Indian government and leads a US-based organization advocating for the secession of Punjab, a northern Indian state known for its large Sikh population.
In response to these developments, India’s foreign ministry has announced the establishment of a “high-level” inquiry committee to delve into the case. It is worth noting that the Czech constitutional court had already cleared Gupta’s extradition in May.
These recent events underline the serious nature of the allegations and the complexities surrounding the case. They have also garnered attention from various stakeholders, including the governments of the United States, India, and the Czech Republic. This extradition and the surrounding allegations are sure to continue making waves as further details emerge and legal proceedings unfold.
