India, Feb. 14 -- Indian national Nikhil Gupta pleaded guilty on Friday to plotting the assassination of pro-Khalistan activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the US Attorney's office for the Southern District of New York confirmed.

Gupta, 54, appeared in Manhattan federal court and admitted to paying $15,000 to a person he believed was a hitman to kill Pannun, an activist who leads the proscribed group Sikhs for Justice, based in New York City, in mid-2023. He had initially pleaded not guilty to the allegations.

US law enforcement authorities have alleged that Gupta was recruited for the murder-for-hire conspiracy by an employee of the Indian government. India has said that such action is contrary to government policy.

"Nikhil Gupta plotted...