No request so far on providing Consular access to Nikhil Gupta, says MEA
Gupta was arrested in the Czech Republic at the request of the US and produced in a New York federal court earlier this week.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said that the US indictment of an Indian national is a matter of concern and against the laid down policy of the Government of India.
Addressing a press conference, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “As regards the case against an individual that has been filed in a US court, allegedly linking him to an Indian official, this is a matter of concern. We have said that this is also contrary to government policy.”
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The MEA spokesperson further said that the Centre has constituted a high-level inquiry committee to look into the inputs shared by the US and necessary action will taken based on its results.
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“The nexus between organised crime, trafficking, gunrunning and extremists at an international level is a serious issue for the law enforcement agencies and organisations to consider and it is for that reason that a high-level inquiry committee has been constituted and we will be guided by its results,” Bagchi added.
The MEA statement comes a day after the US Justice Department filed a case against one Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national for allegedly plotting to kill an American Sikh extremist who advocated for a separate Sikh nation in Indian state of Punjab.
The indictment didn’t name the target but US media claimed it was Sikhs for Justice co-founder Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
The US indictment also alleged that Gupta was being directed by an Indian government official. It further claimed that Gupta tried to hire a hitman in New York but was guided to an undercover agent who told him to execute the plan for USD 100,000.
The indictment also revealed a purported photograph of the meeting between Gupta and the undercover agent in which upfront payment of USD 15,000 was allegedly made.
On June 30, Gupta was arrested in Czech Republic officials and continues to be in their custody on US request. He is said to be awaiting extradition to the US.
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