New Delhi. The top court of the Czech Republic has stayed the extradition of Indian citizen Nikhil Gupta to the United States. Nikhil Gupta is accused of conspiring to murder Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Also read: Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Minister Netam voted along with the first citizen of the state…
According to a report, the Constitutional Court in Prague issued an interim ruling on January 30, 2024, stating that extraditing Gupta would cause extreme harm to him, and that the action would be irreversible. With this decision of the court, the decisions of the lower courts to approve the request for Gupta’s extradition to America have been suspended.
Gupta challenged these decisions of the Municipal Court and the High Court in Prague, arguing that they failed to properly assess the political nature of the alleged crime.
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An Indian newspaper report quoted Czech Justice Ministry spokesperson Marketa Androva as saying that the interim decision prevents the Justice Minister from taking a final decision on extradition until the Constitutional Court resolves Gupta’s complaint. The deadline for the Constitutional Court’s decision remains uncertain.
Gupta faces extradition to the United States under the extradition treaty between the United States and the Czech Republic, accused of acting on behalf of an Indian official. After reaching Prague in June last year, Czech authorities took him into custody following a request from the US government. US prosecutors allege that Gupta attempted to hire a hitman to kill Pannun, who was designated a terrorist in India.
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Gupta has also alleged human rights violations by Czech authorities during his detention, a matter that will be addressed by the Constitutional Court. Earlier, the US had shared information with India regarding the failed assassination attempt, leading to calls for an investigation into the alleged involvement of an Indian official, identified as CC1 in the indictment.
While The Washington Post recently reported on the alleged role of a former Indian intelligence officer, the External Affairs Ministry dismissed the claims as “unsubstantiated and unsubstantiated.”