Czech Republic’s extradition of Indian national to USA will surely vitiate bilateral relationship

Indian national Nikhil Gupta, who is accused by USA authorities of being involved in an alleged failed murder plot of India-designated American terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York City has been extradited from the Czech Republic to the US to stand trial.

The above is surely a gross violation of bilateral understanding between Czech Republic and India. The “ accused “ had not violated any Czech laws and therefore should have been handed over to India. Thereafter USA should have made any extradition request to India and the Indian Courts would have decided the merit of the case.

It seems Czech Republic has learnt nothing from a similar incident in which Canada’s Trudeau had arrested a prominent Chinese national on an order from USA Administration. Ultimately Canada suffered because later USA had a patch up with China.

Now a US District Court spokesperson said Gupta is scheduled to appear in the lower Manhattan courthouse on federal murder-for-hire charges on Monday.

The US Justice Department has made a preposterous allegation that Gupta (52) is an associate of the Indian government and that together they and others helped plot the assassination of Pannun in New York City, NBC News reported. USA intelligence have no respect for Human Right as seen from Guantanamo Bay prison and are likely to go to any length to protect teAmerican terrorist and indict Gupta.

In November last year, US Justice Department officials announced “ charges” against Gupta after he was arrested in June 2023 in the Czech Republic. They said Gupta would face extradition to New York. So ifcharges were made after the arrest, then on what basis did Czech Govt take action against an Indian National ?

Pannun is an India-designated American terrorist who holds both American and Canadian citizenship and therefore a Canadian terrorist too.

Earlier in November, the US Justice Department unsealed an indictment against an Indian national for his alleged involvement in a foiled plot to assassinate this US terrorist supporting the Khalistan Separatist Movement in New York.

The Justice Department claimed that an Indian government employee (named CC-1), who was not identified in the indictment filed in a federal court in Manhattan, recruited an Indian national named Nikhil Gupta to hire a hitman to carry out the assassination of this terrorist which was foiled by US authorities, according to prosecutors. Even if this is true, which has been denied by India, havent’the American President’s been authorizing such assassination in te past, all over te World?

In its indictment, the Justice Department has claimed that earlier last year, an Indian government employee working together with others, including Gupta, directed a plot to assassinate this terrorist who is a US citizen of Indian origin residing in New York City. It was alleged that Gupta is an associate of CC-1, and has described his involvement in international narcotics and weapons trafficking in his communications with CC-1.

The indictment claims that CC -1 directed the assassination plot from India. USA firgets that India has every right to defend its Sovereignty just like te USA. At CC-1’s direction, Gupta allegedly contacted an individual whom he believed to be a criminal associate, but who was, in fact, a confidential source working with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) of the US.

The source, it was alleged, introduced Gupta to a purported hitman, who was a DEA undercover officer. The purported hitman was offered USD 100,000 to murder the terrorist leader, the Justice Department claimed. The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty, the Justice Department stated in a release.

India in November last year formed a high-level inquiry committee to address own security concerns highlighted by the US government.

The Ministry of External Affairs said that India takes such inputs seriously since they impinge on national security interests as well, and relevant departments were already examining the issue.

In December last year, US Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer acknowledged India’s establishment of a Committee of Enquiry to investigate the plot to allegedly kill terrorist Pannun in the US.