In a recent development, a Czech appeals court has given the green light for the extradition of Nikhil Gupta, a 52-year-old Bharat man, to the United States. The decision comes after Gupta was accused by US federal prosecutors of being involved in a failed plot to assassinate a Sikh separatist residing in New York City who advocated for a sovereign Sikh state in northern Bharat.
Gupta was apprehended by Czech authorities in June of last year when he traveled from Bharat to Prague. The extradition decision is now pending final approval from Justice Minister Pavel Blazek, who will have the ultimate say once the ruling is officially delivered to all involved parties, according to a spokesperson from the Justice Ministry.
Reportedly, Gupta has contested his identity, claiming that he is not the person the United States is seeking. He argued that the case is politically motivated, as per information from Czech news website www.seznamzpravy.cz. The website stated that Gupta believes he has been mistaken for someone else.
The Justice Ministry spokesperson mentioned that the timeline for the minister’s decision is currently uncertain, and Gupta is expected to take all available legal measures to prevent his extradition. If the minister harbors doubts about the lower court’s decision, he has three months to appeal to the Supreme Court.
The Prague High Court, which rejected Gupta’s appeal, had upheld a December decision by a lower court allowing extradition. As of now, the spokesperson for the Prague High Court has refrained from providing immediate comments on the matter.
It is worth noting that the Czech Republic has previously acceded to US extradition requests, highlighting the legal cooperation between the two nations.
A lawyer representing Gupta has not yet responded to requests for comment. However, the Czech news website quoted the lawyer as stating an intention to appeal to the Justice Minister to reconsider the extradition and to pursue the case further in the Constitutional Court.
The unfolding events underscore the complex legal proceedings and potential diplomatic implications surrounding this case, as Gupta seeks to avoid being extradited to the United States to face the charges against him.
Comments