New York: In a major development concluding a part of an about three-years long legal and diplomatic saga, Nikhil Gupta, 54, pleaded guilty in a U.S. federal court on February 13, 2026, to charges related to the foiled assassination plot against Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) legal advisor and dual US-Canada citizen Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

Nikhil Gupta on 13 February 2026 admitted to conspiring with an Indian government official, identified as Vikash Yadav, to hire a hitman to kill Pannun on American soil.

The guilty plea marks a decisive turn in a case. While Nikhil Gupta awaits sentencing scheduled for May 2026, his co-conspirator, Vikash Yadav (previously referred to as “CC-1”), remains in India.

According to the Indian government he is no longer it’s employee.

Case Timeline
2023: The Plot and The Trap

• May 2023: Vikash Yadav (CC-1) recruits Nikhil Gupta to orchestrate the assassination of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York.
• May 6, 2023: Yadav sends Gupta a message: “This is Vikas… Save my name as Amanat.”
• Late May 2023: Gupta contacts a criminal associate to find a hitman. Unbeknownst to him, this associate is a Confidential Source (CS) for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
• June 2023: The CS introduces Gupta to a “hitman,” who is actually a DEA Undercover Officer (UC). A deal is struck for $100,000.
• June 9, 2023: An associate of Gupta delivers $15,000 in cash to the UC in Manhattan as an advance payment.
• June 18, 2023: Hardeep Singh Nijjar, another Sikh separatist, is killed in Canada.
• June 19, 2023: Immediately following Nijjar’s death, Gupta tells the UC that Nijjar “was also the target” and “we have so many targets.” He instructs the UC to proceed with the Pannun hit, stating there is “now no need to wait.”
• June 30, 2023: Gupta travels from India to the Czech Republic. He is arrested by Czech authorities at the request of the United States upon his arrival in Prague.2023–2024: Indictments and Extradition
• November 29, 2023: The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) unseals the first indictment charging Gupta and the unnamed “CC-1” with murder-for-hire conspiracy.
• May 2024: The Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic clears the path for Gupta’s extradition, rejecting his petition against the lower courts’ decisions.
• June 14, 2024: Gupta is extradited to the United States.
• June 17, 2024: Gupta appears in a New York federal court and pleads Not Guilty. He is detained without bail.
• 2024–2026: The “CC-1” Unmasking and Guilty Plea
• October 17, 2024: The DOJ unseals a second superseding indictment, formally charging Vikash Yadav and revealing his identity. The FBI issues a “Wanted” poster for Yadav.
• Late 2024 – 2025: Legal maneuverings continue. India initiates an internal high-level inquiry into the allegations.
• February 13, 2026: Nikhil Gupta pleads guilty to murder-for-hire and conspiracy charges before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn.
• May 29, 2026 (Scheduled): Gupta is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero. He faces a maximum statutory sentence of up to 40 years, though his plea agreement may influence the final term.

Details of the Confession and Evidence

Gupta’s “confession” comes in two forms: the recorded evidence gathered during the sting operation and his formal plea in court.

The Recorded Admissions (Wiretap Evidence):

• The DOJ indictment details explicit video and audio recordings where Gupta discusses the plot.
• “Finish Him”: Gupta was recorded urging the undercover officer to kill Pannun quickly, stating, “Finish him brother, finish him, don’t take too much time.”
• Post-Nijjar Comments: Perhaps the most damning evidence was his recorded reaction to the Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s killing in Canada, where he confirmed knowledge of that plot and linked it to the New York plot, telling the UC that they had “so many targets.”
• The Formal Guilty Plea (Feb 2026):
• In his court appearance on Feb 13, 2026, Gupta formally admitted to the charges.
• By pleading guilty, he acknowledged conspiring to commit murder-for-hire and money laundering, legally cementing the DOJ’s narrative that the plot was directed from India.

Who is Vikash Yadav?

For months, court documents referred to Gupta’s handler only as “CC-1” (Co-Conspirator 1).

In October 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed a superseding indictment explicitly naming him as Vikash Yadav.

• Background: Yadav was employed by the Cabinet Secretariat of the Government of India, specifically housing India’s foreign intelligence service, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).
• Credentials: He described himself as a “Senior Field Officer” with responsibilities in “Security Management” and “Intelligence.” He previously served in India’s Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
• Role in Plot: Yadav recruited Gupta in May 2023, promising to dismiss a criminal case against Gupta in Gujarat, India, in exchange for facilitating the assassination.
• Current Status: The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed in October 2024 that Yadav is “no longer an employee of the Government of India.” He remains on the FBI’s wanted list. An Indian government enquiry stated that the alleged actions were not authorised by the Indian government.  Many have interpreted it as an admission to his involvement while maintaining that his acts were not officially backed.