A Czech appeals court on Friday paved the way for the extradition of an Indian man to the United States to face charges of murder-for-hire in a failed plot to kill a Sikh separatist on American soil.
The Prague High Court upheld a lower court's decision approving the extradition of Nikhil Gupta, 52, who is accused by US federal prosecutors of conspiring with an Indian government official to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a New York resident advocating for a separate Sikh state in northern India.
Gupta, arrested in the Czech Republic in June at the US request, denies the charges and claims mistaken identity. His defense lawyers, according to Czech news website Seznam Zprávy, also argue that the case is politically motivated.
The High Court's ruling means the final decision on extradition now rests with Czech Justice Minister Pavel Blazek. If Blazek gives the green light, Gupta could face life imprisonment in the US if convicted on both murder-for-hire and conspiracy charges.
The Justice Ministry spokesperson has indicated that the final say now rests with Justice Minister Pavel Blazek, who will make a determination once all parties have received the court's decision. However, the timeline for this decision remains uncertain.