India’s Ministry of External Affairs has stated that they have not received any request for consular access from Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national extradited to the US for an alleged murder-for-hire plot against Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. While Gupta’s family has contacted the MEA, the US has asserted they will not tolerate attempts to silence or harm its citizens.
Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, has pleaded not guilty to charges of plotting to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the United States. The US government has extradited Gupta from the Czech Republic, emphasizing its commitment to protecting its citizens from foreign interference. Gupta faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, has been extradited to the United States and pleaded not guilty to charges related to an alleged murder-for-hire plot against Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The case has sparked diplomatic tensions and accusations of Indian government involvement, raising concerns about transnational terrorism and attempts to silence dissent.
A London court has allowed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to appeal against his extradition to the United States. Assange, who has been held in Belmarsh Prison since 2019, faces 17 espionage charges and one count of computer misuse for publishing classified US documents. Despite US assurances of press protections, Assange’s lawyers believe they are ‘blatantly inadequate.’ The founder of WikiLeaks, known for exposing US military misconduct in Iraq and Afghanistan, claims journalistic protection under the First Amendment. However, the US government contends that Assange’s actions extended beyond journalism and harmed national security.
A British court will issue a verdict on whether to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, 52, to the United States on espionage charges. The ruling, expected on Monday, will culminate 13 years of legal battles and detentions. The U.S. seeks to prosecute him on 18 charges, mostly under the Espionage Act, alleging that his actions with WikiLeaks endangered agents’ lives. Assange’s supporters denounce the charges as an assault on journalism and free speech. If extradited, Assange’s legal avenues in Britain would be exhausted, but his lawyers could pursue an emergency injunction from the European Court of Human Rights. If extradition is denied, he could appeal the case on three grounds.
Habys Omar Meran, a 38-year-old Dominican Republic native, was sentenced to 6 1/2 years in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy. In January 2016, Meran was found with over $2 million worth of heroin hidden in his van during a traffic stop in Pennsylvania. He and his passenger, Juan Wilquin Hernandez-Bourdier, were charged with various drug-related offenses. Hernandez-Bourdier was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2018. Meran, however, managed to flee the country before his trial but was eventually arrested in the Dominican Republic in 2023 and extradited back to the United States. The investigation and extradition involved the U.S. Marshals Service, the Department of Homeland Security, state police, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Karim Bouyakhrichan, an alleged Moroccan mafia kingpin wanted by Dutch authorities for plotting to abduct or kill the heir apparent to the Dutch throne and Prime Minister Mark Rutte, has been released on bail by a regional judge in Spain. A lapse by a higher court allowed Bouyakhrichan to evade extradition despite facing money laundering charges. The incident has sparked outrage, with Dutch security sources describing it as an “unforgivable error.”
The family of a Thai woman found stabbed to death at a £4 million mansion near Hyde Park expressed their anguish and gratitude for the police’s investigation. The victim, Kamonnan Thiamphanit, known as Angela, was found with fatal wounds on April 8 at an Airbnb property she rented. Detectives believe she knew her attacker, who is yet to be arrested. The investigation is ongoing, with the possibility of an extradition request.
A 40-year-old Indian national, Banmeet Singh, has been sentenced to five years in prison by a US court for selling illegal drugs on the dark web. Singh created vendor sites on marketplaces to sell controlled substances like fentanyl and LSD. The investigation revealed a network of distributors in several US states and international locations. Singh’s drug operation generated millions of dollars in profits laundered through cryptocurrency accounts.
