Indian government employee accused of directing foiled assassination plot can be extradited to US, court says

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• A petition by an Indian man who attempted to avoid extradition to the U.S. has been rejected by the Czech Constitutional Court.
• Nikhil Gupta is accused of directing a foiled plot to kill a Sikh separatist on American soil.
• Gupta was arrested by Czech authorities in June last year when he traveled from India to Prague.

The Czech Constitutional Court rejected on Wednesday a petition by an Indian man trying to avoid extradition to the United States, which suspects him of involvement in an unsuccessful plot to kill a Sikh separatist on American soil.

A final decision on whether to extradite Nikhil Gupta will be made by Justice Minister Pavel Blazek.

The court said it ruled that lower courts had given due consideration to aspects that may prevent extradition, rejecting the complaint brought by Gupta. It also rejected arguments that the case was political.

"The Constitutional Court did not find any circumstance for which declaring extradition admissible would lead to a violation of any of the constitutionally guaranteed fundamental rights and freedoms," the court said in a statement.

INDIAN GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE ACCUSED OF DIRECTING FOILED ASSASSINATION PLOT OF SIKH ACTIVIST ON US SOIL

"For the complainant, this brings the proceedings before the Czech courts to an end."

Activists of the Dal Khalsa Sikh organization, a pro-Khalistan group, stage a demonstration demanding justice for Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed in June 2023 near Vancouver. The Czech Constitutional Court rejected on Wednesday a petition by an Indian man trying to avoid extradition to the United States, which suspects him of involvement in an unsuccessful plot to kill a Sikh separatist on American soil. (NARINDER NANU/AFP via Getty Images)

A spokesman for the Justice Ministry said Blazek would evaluate the decision before making a ruling on the extradition itself.

Gupta has been accused by U.S. federal prosecutors of working with an Indian government official on a plot to kill a New York City resident who advocated for a sovereign Sikh state in northern India.

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Gupta was arrested by Czech authorities in June last year when he traveled from India to Prague.

The Czech Republic has in the past agreed to U.S. extradition requests.