In federal judge, an American man is accused of plotting to kill a Sikh secessionist in New York City. He has entered a not-guilty plea.
Nikhil Gupta made his first appearance in court on Monday evening after being deported from the Czech Republic and arriving in the US on Friday.
He is charged by US authorities with trying to hire a hitman to assassinate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a dual US-Canadian citizen.
An unidentified American government official is charged with directing Mr. Gupta in the US. India denies having anything to do with the alleged story.
Mr Gupta, 52, walked into the Manhattan federal courtroom shortly after 12: 30 EDT ( 17: 30 BST ) on Monday wearing a blue sweater and black Nike sweatpants, holding his hands behind his back.
Judge James Cott asked Mr. Gupta to enter his plea after he had waived the studying of his prosecution. ” No guilty”, his solicitor, Jeff Chabrowe, said on his behalf.
Prosecutors requested that Mr. Gupta remain in a detention facility until his test.
Mr. Gupta’s attorney stated that they would submit a loan application at a later time, which would mean that he will remain in custody for the time being.
His attorney also complained about the circumstances of Mr. Gupta’s confinement to the judge during the 20-minute hearing. According to the attorney, he had never received a vegetarian food since arriving at a Brooklyn detention center on Friday.
” Basically, my client has not been able to eat”, he said.
He would also need to be permitted to beg, according to Mr. Chabrowe.
If those issues have n’t been resolved, Judge Cott advised Mr. Chabrowe to speak with him again on Tuesday.
After the hear, Mr. Chabrowe addressed reporters and stated that the case was” a difficult issue for both India and the US.”
He said people should refrain from” jumping to conclusions” about the allegations against Mr Gupta.
” We will follow his defence rigorously”, he said.
Mr Gupta’s reading was also attended by some Khalistan protesters, including one who held the group’s symbol outside the courtroom.
On June 28th, Mr. Gupta will reappear in court.
US prosecutors charged Mr. Gupta with a plot to kill at least four Sikh hardliners in North America in November, including Mr. Pannun. He faces up to 20 years in prison as a result of the claims against him.
Mr Gupta paid$ 100, 000 ( £79, 000 ) in cash to a hitman to assassinate Mr Pannun, prosecutors said. The hunter, they added, was an undercover federal representative.
Mr. Pannun is a double citizen of the US and Canada who resides in New York.
He is the general counsel for Sikhs for Justice, an company based in the US that supports the broader Khalistan movement, which calls for an independent country for Sikhs, who make up about 2 % of India’s community.
Mr. Pannun’s claim that the American government has designated him as a terrorist in 2020 is untrue.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh dissident president who was fatally shot in Canada in his vehicle last year, was also a friend of him.
After Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed there were” reliable claims” that Delhi had been involved in the murder, the relationship between India and Canada deteriorated. India denied the charges.
The White House announced in November that it had discussed the alleged assassination narrative with India at the most top level.
American authorities took a dig at the reported story, claiming that such actions were against government policy. Delhi announced the formation of a committee to look into the claims made against Mr. Gupta.
A group of US legislators urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken to direct a” strong political answer” that would ensure that all parties involved “are held accountable,” according to a letter from June 17 that was made available by the BBC.
The email adds that the US and India “have a critical relationship across many domains,” and that their ties had “be grounded in shared commitment to political concepts and the rule of law.”
In January, India’s Supreme Court rejected a plea from Mr Gupta which asked it to aid his release and help him get a fair trial. The petition in India claimed Mr Gupta was arrested by “self-claimed” US federal agents and had not yet been given a fair trial.
The best judge of India stated that the government had the authority to decide whether to take action and that it would not interfere with the situation.