US court denies Gupta’s plea for defence material

New York, January 12

A judge in the United States has denied a request for defence materials by Indian national Nikhil Gupta, charged by federal prosecutors in a murder-for-hire plot to kill a Khalistani separatist on American soil.

US District Judge Victor Marrero, in an order on Thursday, denied a motion filed by Gupta’s attorney seeking discovery material in the case. Gupta, 52, was charged by federal prosecutors here in an indictment unsealed in November last year with working with an Indian Government employee in the foiled plot to kill Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who holds dual US and Canadian citizenships, on American soil.

Gupta was arrested in Prague, the Czech Republic on June 30 last year and is being held there currently. The US government is seeking his extradition to America.

In his order, Marrero said that the court is persuaded by the government’s argument that Gupta has no right to discovery at this time.