Pannun Murder Plot: US Objects To Produce 'Proof' Against Nikhil Gupta After New York Court's Order

The United States government has objected to providing proof of charges against Indian national Nikhil Gupta, who is detained in a Czech prison on murder-for-hire allegations in a foiled assassination attempt on a Khalistani terrorist.

The US government has told a New York court that it will provide the information only upon his appearance in a the court and arraignment in the case.

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This comes as the New York Court had ordered the US government to respond to a 'Motion to Compel Production of Discovery' filed by Gupta's legal team last week.

Gupta's lawyers requested the court to direct federal prosecutors to provide "materials relevant to (our) ability to defend the charges".

On Monday (10 January), US District Judge Victor Marrero gave the federal government three days to respond.

In that response, filed on third day, the US government said it was "prepared to produce discovery promptly upon the defendant's appearance".

The US government also argued that Gupta "is not entitled to discovery (before then) and identifies no good reason" to receive the prosecution's material, and that witholding such material is "consistent with federal rules of criminal procedure".

Gupta, 52, was charged by US federal prosecutors in an indictment unsealed in November last year of working with an Indian government employee in the foiled plot to kill Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who holds dual US and Canadian citizenships, on American soil.

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

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