Indian citizen Nikhil Gupta admitted guilt in a New York federal court to three charges in a murder-for-hire plot against a U.S.-based Sikh separatist leader. The plea, made before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn, included counts for conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Gupta, represented by defense counsel David Touger, faced Assistant U.S. Attorneys Camille Fletcher, Alexander Li, and Ashley Nicolas in court. The plea, recommended for acceptance by District Judge Victor Marrero, sets a control date for March 15, 2026, with Gupta remaining in custody pending sentencing.
The case, which attracted significant attention, involved allegations that Gupta conspired to arrange the assassination of a Sikh political activist residing in New York City. Court documents revealed Gupta’s use of intermediaries, including an undercover officer posing as a hitman, to orchestrate the crime.
Prosecutors detailed the delivery of $15,000 in New York as an advance payment for the murder, forming the basis of the money-laundering charge against Gupta. Despite attempts to suppress evidence, Gupta’s guilty plea now advances the case to the sentencing phase.
