New York, Feb. 14 -- Indian national Nikhil Gupta pleaded guilty on Friday to plotting the assassination of pro-Khalistan leader 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, 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 to assassinate a US citizen in New York City," said US attorney Jay Clayton. "He thought that from outside this country he could kill someone in it without consequence, simply for exercising their American right to free speech. But he was wrong, and he will face justice." He pleaded guilty to three charges - murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit money laundering - which carry a combined maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. Gupta is scheduled to be sentenced by US District Judge Victor Marrero on May 29. Gupta has been held without bail in Brooklyn since his extradition from the Czech Republic in June 2024....