Federal prosecutors in america introduced this week that that they had charged an Indian nationwide in a murder-for-hire scheme that focused a Sikh activist in New York. The plot was foiled, they mentioned, nevertheless it additional difficult the fragile diplomatic relations between america, Canada and India.
President Biden has sought to strengthen ties with India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, amid rising tensions with China and a standoff with Russia. However prosecutors mentioned the plan to kill the activist in New York was organized by an Indian authorities official — probably disrupting the Biden administration’s outreach to India.
The U.S. prosecutors additionally linked the plot to a homicide in Canada final June. Relations between India and Canada had soured this fall after Canadian officers accused Indian authorities brokers of the killing.
Here’s a timeline of the occasions as American and Canadian officers have laid them out.
In or round Might 2023
American prosecutors mentioned that, round this time, an unnamed Indian authorities worker recruited Nikhil Gupta, an Indian nationwide, to orchestrate the assassination of a U.S. citizen, based on the indictment. The goal of the plot described in court docket paperwork was Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a vocal critic of the Indian authorities and the overall counsel for Sikhs for Justice, which advocates the secession of Punjab, a state in northern India.
Might 29
Mr. Gupta started looking for somebody in america who could possibly be employed for homicide, prosecutors mentioned — however the particular person he discovered, they mentioned, was really an secret agent of the U.S. authorities. Over the next weeks, the 2 mentioned the logistics of the homicide and the worth.
June 9
Mr. Gupta organized for an affiliate to ship $15,000 in money to the particular person he believed to be a hitman, the indictment mentioned, calling the cash an advance fee for the homicide.
June 11
The unnamed Indian official instructed Mr. Gupta that if he couldn’t kill the deliberate sufferer that very day, the indictment mentioned, the homicide must wait till after diplomatic engagements between high-level U.S. and Indian officers. Mr. Gupta had already warned in a name that “we have to settle down the whole lot 10 days,” and mentioned the killing may result in protests and “political issues,” based on prosecutors.
June 12 to 14
On a name, Mr. Gupta instructed an affiliate a few “huge goal” in Canada and that he could be sharing particulars, prosecutors mentioned.
June 18
Masked gunman killed Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, a distinguished Sikh group chief, on the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara temple in British Columbia, Canada. The gunmen sped away in a getaway automotive, leaving Mr. Nijjar’s bloodied physique, prosecutors mentioned, slumped over in his bullet-ridden car parked outdoors the temple.
June 19
Mr. Gupta forwarded a video clip of Mr. Nijjar’s physique to the supposed hitman in america after which instructed him “the excellent news is that this: now no want to attend,” based on the indictment. He warned, although, that the goal would in all probability be extra cautious now.
June 22
President Biden formally welcomed Prime Minister Modi of India to the White Home for a state dinner, in search of to bolster U.S.-India ties.
June 24 to June 29
Mr. Gupta pushed ahead along with his plan, having the potential sufferer adopted and tracked, prosecutors mentioned.
June 30
Mr. Gupta traveled from India to the Czech Republic, based on the indictment. Upon arrival, the Czech authorities detained him on the request of america, in connection along with his position within the alleged plot.
Sept. 10
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada and Mr. Biden every met Mr. Modi on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in New Delhi.
Mr. Trudeau later instructed Canada’s Home of Commons that he had raised India’s alleged involvement within the taking pictures of Mr. Nijjar with Mr. Modi once they met in New Delhi.
Mr. Biden instructed the C.I.A. director to go to India in August to debate the suspected assassination plot and press the Indian authorities to carry these concerned accountable, based on U.S. officers acquainted with the occasions. Mr. Biden himself raised the New York plot straight with Mr. Modi once they met in New Delhi.
Sept. 21
India suspended visa functions by Canadian nationals, escalating the battle between the 2 international locations.
Sept. 23
American spy companies supplied Canada with info that helped assist its declare that the Indian authorities was behind Mr. Nijjar’s killing, based on Western allied officers.
Oct. 19
Canada withdrew two-thirds of its diplomats from India, as India threatened to revoke their diplomatic immunity.
Nov. 29
An indictment laying out the fees towards Mr. Gupta was unsealed within the U.S. District Court docket for the Southern District of New York. He was charged with homicide for rent and conspiracy to commit homicide for rent.
The Indian overseas ministry mentioned it took the accusation as a matter of concern, and that the federal government had appointed a high-level committee of inquiry to look into it.
