New Delhi:
Intercepted at the arrival gate of a foreign country, accosted by grim “American agents”, being bundled into a black SUV and interrogated for three hours as it drives around, and having your mobile phone seized (and potential hacked into) – the hallmarks of a classic Hollywood spy thriller.
However, according to Nikhil Gupta – the Indian national accused of attempting to engineer the assassination of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh separatist and American-Canadian citizen – this is what happened to him after he landed at Prague’s Vaclav Havel Airport on June 30.
Mr Gupta, 52, moved the Supreme Court Friday – via a family member identified only as Mr X – claiming multiple violations of fundamental rights, including threats to himself and his family, and requested Delhi to intervene in his extradition to the United States on murder-for-hire charges.
READ | “Approach Czech Court”: Supreme Court On Indian Accused In US Murder Plot
The court adjourned the hearing to January 4.
In the petition, Mr X said Nikhil Gupta had been “approached by certain individuals who identified themselves to be law enforcement” and was detained outside the Prague airport without any reason. “… individuals who claimed to be law enforcement officers forcefully made the petitioner sit in an unidentified black SUV… took (his) phones forcefully… attached a device…”
The petition also pointed out the “arrest” was made not at the immigration counter in the airport, as would have been the norm, but after Nikhil Gupta cleared entry formalities, “… when (he) had, in fact, exited Vaclav Havel Airport… meaning this round of questioning in the back of an SUV for three hours was absolutely illegal and against the principles of both international and municipal law”.
The “American agents” also threatened the petitioner before handing him over to local authorities, when, the petition claimed, he was subject to a medical test that involved collection of blood and biometrics. Mr Gupta was allegedly only told of the charges against him the following morning.
“Subsequently, the petitioner was appointed a defence attorney by the Czech authorities who advised the petitioner… to give his consent to be taken to New York,” Mr X said in the petition.
The petitioner also noted “… this advice was against the best interest of the petitioner and under the undue influence of US agencies who were trying to extradite the petitioner as soon as possible”.
What Is The Nikhil Gupta Case?
Mr Gupta is accused of trying to hire a hitman to assassinate Pannun, a Khalistani terrorist who holds American-Canadian citizenship. The ‘hitman’ was an undercover US federal agent.
READ | Who Is Nikhil Gupta, Man Charged In Failed Plot To Kill Khalistan Terrorist
Mr Gupta now faces a 20-year jail term if convicted. The US has also accused an Indian government employee, whose identity has been withheld at this time, and have only referred to as CC-1.
READ | Khalistani Terrorist “Wants To Divide India, Create Many Countries”: Sources
Responding to the charges, the External Affairs Ministry had said “India takes such inputs seriously, since they impinge on our national security interests as well, and relevant departments are already examining the issue.” A high-level inquiry committee has been established, the government said.
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