New York, Feb 14 (NationPress) Nikhil Gupta's shocking confession in a federal court marks a pivotal moment in his case, concluding the trial without the presentation of witness testimonies or the extensive evidence that prosecutors claim exists against him. Gupta, charged with plotting against a Khalistani leader, entered a guilty plea on Friday to three serious charges: murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit that crime, and money laundering.

This admission represents a significant shift from his earlier plea of not guilty in 2024. With no trial to offer a platform for prosecutors to showcase evidence and for defense attorneys to present their arguments, the case is now set to advance directly to sentencing.

The intended victim is thought to be Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, although the prosecution has characterized the target merely as “a US citizen of Indian origin” who is a prominent critic of the Indian government and leads a US-based organization advocating for the secession of Punjab and the establishment of a “Sikh sovereign state called Khalistan.”

Gupta made his admission of guilt before Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn during a rapid progression of the case, rather than before Judge Victor Marrero, who is overseeing the case. Magistrate judges handle various case-related matters but do not preside over trials, meaning that sentencing will ultimately revert to Marrero.

The proceedings took place in a small, secondary courtroom, distinct from the main courtroom where Marrero regularly conducts hearings. Gupta, currently incarcerated at the notorious Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, was escorted to federal court near Wall Street in Manhattan.

Upon arrival, he was attired in a tan jail uniform and was unshackled by a US Marshal prior to being escorted into the court through a side entrance. The courtroom was filled with supporters of Khalistani movements.

When asked how he pleaded to the three counts, Gupta responded, “Guilty.” Following this, Netburn inquired about his actions, to which Gupta explained, “In the Spring of 2023, I conspired with another individual to murder a person in the US. I transferred $15,000 in cash via phone to an individual located in the US.”

Before finalizing the guilty plea, Netburn sought clarification from prosecutors on the evidence presented. An assistant federal prosecutor revealed, “Testimony from a confidential source, an undercover officer posing as the would-be hitman,” alongside “WhatsApp and text messages, bank records, and a video documenting the cash payment made to the undercover agent.”

Sentencing for Gupta is anticipated on May 29, when he could face a maximum of ten years in prison for each of the two murder-for-hire charges, plus 20 years for the money laundering charge, as indicated by prosecutors. Typically, individuals who plead guilty receive reduced sentences, yet Gupta has not entered into any agreement for a lesser punishment, as the prosecution submitted a letter outlining the maximum penalties mandated by law, of which he was informed.

In October, prosecutors disclosed that they had offered Gupta a plea deal, which became void when he failed to proceed with it. Prosecutors allege Gupta collaborated with Vikash Yadav, a former commandant of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) now affiliated with the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). Yadav has been declared a co-defendant and currently resides in India, evading US authorities who have filed charges against him here.

The Indian government has denied involvement in this case, though Yadav was charged in 2023 in an unrelated matter concerning extortion and the abduction of a businessperson in India, with that case still pending and a Delhi court issuing a non-bailable warrant for his arrest in August.

US officials describe Gupta as an “international narcotics and weapons trafficker” who allegedly engaged in this plot to obtain leniency from Indian law enforcement. Prosecutors contend that Yadav enlisted Gupta to orchestrate the murder-for-hire scheme, with Gupta attempting to connect with an individual he believed was a criminal to secure a hitman. However, that individual was actually a confidential source collaborating with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

The informant introduced Gupta to an undercover DEA officer, claiming that the officer was a hitman available for hire. Prosecutors assert that Gupta agreed in June 2023 to pay the undercover officer $100,000 for the murder, with Yadav and Gupta coordinating for an associate to deliver $15,000 as an upfront payment. The transaction, alongside various interactions among those involved in the plot, has been recorded, as indicated by the prosecutors, who included visuals in the chargesheet.

Gupta was apprehended in the Czech Republic and was extradited to the US in June 2024.