Nikhil Gupta Pleads Guilty, Retains Top Defense Team To Fight For Lighter Sentence

Photo: NDTV screengrab

India-West News Desk

NEW YORK, NY – Attorneys Isabelle A. Kirshner and Brian David Linder of the prominent New York firm Clayman, Rosenberg, Kirshner & Linder LLP have been retained by Nikhil Gupta to lead his defense as he faces sentencing for his role in a foiled murder-for-hire plot.

The case continues to draw intense international scrutiny from both Washington and New Delhi due to allegations that the plot targeted Sikh terrorist and separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, living in the US and amounts to what is being viewed as Indian government interference on US soil.

Gupta was originally charged in a three-count superseding indictment in late 2024, which accused him of coordinating the planned killing with others.

With Gupta having pleaded guilty on February 13, 2026, to charges of murder-for-hire, conspiracy, and money laundering, his legal team’s strategy has shifted entirely toward mitigating a prison term that could reach 40 years. The final judgment, scheduled for May 29 before Judge Victor Marrero, will depend on a complex evaluation of federal offense levels and statutory sentencing factors.

As part of the proceedings, Gupta has agreed to forfeit $15,000 in cash and two mobile phones to the U.S. government under a consent preliminary order. The forfeited assets include an iPhone 11 Pro Max and a Vivo Y56 5G cellphone, which were originally seized by Czech authorities in 2023 before being transferred to American custody. The $15,000 in currency was seized by U.S. agents in Manhattan in June 2023.

Court filings also specify that Gupta is “jointly and severally liable” with co-defendant Vikash Yadav for the money judgment. This means Gupta could be held responsible for the full amount of any forfeiture judgment entered against his co-defendant in the case.