• Source:REUTERS
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Pannun Murder Case: The Prague High Court has ruled that the Czech Republic can extradite Nikhil Gupta to the United States, the justice ministry said on Friday. Gupta is an Indian man accused by the US of involvement in an unsuccessful plot to kill Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil.

A final decision on the extradition of Gupta will be in the hands of Justice Minister Pavel Blazek once the ruling is delivered to all parties in the case, a ministry spokesperson said as quoted by news agency Reuters.

ALSO READ: Khalistani Terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun Issues Fresh Threats Ahead Of Republic Day

Last year in November, the 52-year-old Indian national was charged with working with an Indian government official on the plot to kill Pannun, who holds dual US and Canadian citizenship. Gupta was arrested on June 30, 2023, when he travelled from India to Prague.

"The time frame for the minister's decision cannot be assumed at this point," the Justice Ministry spokesman said, adding that Gupta could be expected to take all steps possible to try to prevent extradition.

Recently, the US-based designated terrorist Pannun, the founder of the banned Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), has issued fresh threats ahead of Republic Day. Several pictures went viral on social media, showing pro-Khalistani graffiti in the national capital. The graffiti contained threats ahead of the Republic Day parade on January 26.

It claims that the banned outfit SFJ aims to "avenge" the death of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Nijjar was killed outside a Gurdwara in Surrey, Canada on June 18 last year by unknown men.

Pannun, who was declared a designated terrorist by the Government of India in 2020, has been actively exhorting Punjab-based gangsters and youth over social media to fight for the cause of the independent state of Khalistan, challenging the sovereignty, integrity and security of the country.

(With Agencies Inputs)