Will the Modi government be able to release Nikhil Gupta from America? The request for consular access has not yet been received

New Delhi: Indian citizen Nikhil Gupta has been extradited to the US from the Czech Republic after allegations of involvement in the conspiracy to kill Khalistani extremist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu. Nikhil Gupta was arrested in the Czech Republic in June last year, after which he/she was extradited and handed over to the US on June 14. However, Indian authorities have not yet received a request for diplomatic access from Nikhil Gupta.

Ministry of External Affairs in touch with Nikhil Gupta’s family

he/she was extradited to the US on June 14, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. We have not received any request for consular access from Nikhil Gupta so far, but his/her family has contacted us. Responding to a question during the weekly press briefing, he/she said, “We are in touch with the family members and are looking into the matter to see what can be done on their request.”

Nikhil Gupta, 53, pleaded not guilty when he/she was arraigned in a federal court in New York on June 17. Indian authorities were granted consular access to him/her on a few occasions while he/she was in Czech custody. In November last year, US federal prosecutors accused Gupta of working with an Indian government employee in a failed plot to assassinate Pannu in New York.

Pannu, wanted in India on terrorism charges, holds dual citizenship of the US and Canada. People aware of the matter said the issue of consular access to Gupta will be decided in accordance with the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1963. Article 36 of this treaty states that a person in custody must request consular access from the authorities of his/her country.