The United States judicial authorities unsealed an indictment in the alleged attempt to murder a US citizen on 29 November. The 15-page document begins with the words “Earlier this year, an identified Indian government employee ("CC-1”), working together with others in India and elsewhere, including NIKHIL GUPTA a/k/a “Nick”, the defendant ("GUPTA”) directed a plot to assassinate on US soil, an attorney and political activist, who is a US citizen of Indian origin residing in New York City (the "Victim”)”. The first paragraph of the indictment concludes with the words "US law enforcement detected and disrupted the plot to murder the Victim."
The indictment does not mention any names except that of Gupta. It does not identify the Victim but it is clear that it is Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of the Sikhs for Justice who advocate Khalistan. India has declared Pannun to be a terrorist and has proscribed Sikhs for Justice. Indeed, the indictment notes, "The Victim has publicly called for some or all of Punjab to secede from India and establish a Sikh sovereign state called Khalistan, and the Indian government has banned the Victim and his separatist organisation from India."
The facts of the investigation were placed before a Grand Jury which after hearing the results of the investigation has charged Gupta on two counts for being involved in a "Murder-for-Hire Conspiracy”.
The action taken by the US prosecutors to take this matter to the Grand Jury seems to be in accordance with the US judicial process and it may now not be easy to roll it back even if the US administration wants to do so.