ew Delhi: A top Czech court has cleared the decks for the extradition of Indian national Nikhil Gupta to the US where he is sought for his alleged role in plotting to kill Khalistan leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
The move comes almost a year after Gupta was arrested by Czech authorities in Prague at the request of the US government, and as of now, the final call on Gupta's extradition rests with the country's Ministry of Justice.
In a statement issued on May 22, the Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic dismissed Gupta’s challenge to the decisions of the Municipal Court in Prague -- dated November 23, 2023, and the High Court in Prague dated January 8, 2024 -- both of which had ruled positively on the admissibility of the US request for his extradition.
Gupta had approached the top court arguing that the two lower courts had not examined the political nature of the act that he was accused of. Disagreeing with Gupta's argument, the Constitutional Court said the courts had not only thoroughly examined all extradition documents provided by the US government but also the additional information provided by the US in response to Gupta’s objections.
US prosecutors have charged Gupta with attempting to hire a hitman to kill Pannun, a US citizen designated as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in India. Last year, the US had shared information with India about the foiled assassination bid, also asking it to investigate the alleged involvement of the Indian official.
Earlier this month, US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, said his country is satisfied with the responses India has shared on the Pannun case and the indictment. “The US is satisfied with the accountability it has demanded from India regarding the allegations that its officials were involved in a plot to kill a Sikh separatist on American soil,” Garcetti said.
