Indian national Nikhil Gupta, accused in a murder-for-hire plot against Sikh separatist and founder of the banned Khalistani outfit Sikhs for Justice, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, has been extradited from the Czech Republic to the US, according to media reports.

Gupta, 52, was arrested in the Czech Republic last year at the request of the US government on charges of involvement in a plot to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. He is expected to be produced before a federal court in New York on Monday.

Last month, a Czech court rejected his petition to avoid extradition to the U.S., thereby clearing the way for the Czech justice minister to proceed with his extradition.

He is expected to appear before a federal court in New York on Monday. Gupta is currently held at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn. The Washington Post first reported his extradition, citing anonymous sources.

"Gupta, who had been detained in the Czech Republic, arrived in New York over the weekend, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive legal proceedings. Typically, extradited defendants must appear in court within a day of their arrival in the country," the daily said. 

Federal prosecutors allege that Gupta hired a hitman and paid $15,000 in advance to kill Pannun. They also claim the involvement of an unnamed Indian government official. Gupta's extradition aligns with the upcoming visit of US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to New Delhi for the ICET dialogue, where the issue may be discussed with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval.

India has denied involvement and initiated an investigation into the allegations. Gupta, represented by his attorney Rohini Musa, has denied the charges, asserting that he has been unfairly accused. Musa argued in a petition to the Indian Supreme Court that there is no evidence linking Gupta to the alleged plot.

"Gupta's attorney, Rohini Musa, wrote in a petition to the Indian Supreme Court that her client is being unfairly prosecuted, saying there is "nothing on record to link the Petitioner to the massive alleged plot to assassinate the alleged victim," The Washington Post said.

"Musa complained that Gupta received adverse legal advice from a Czech government-appointed attorney "under the undue influence of ... U.S. Agencies" during the initial phase of his detention. She said India and the United States were "going back and forth to blame each other for their foreign policy," the daily reported.

Image source: Hindustan Times