He took blame on himself… wanted to end it: Nikhil Gupta’s family on Pannun murder plot

Nikhil Gupta’s choice to admit guilt before a United States court in the alleged murder-for-hire plot involving Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York was aimed at drawing a close to what had become a “long and exhausting” legal struggle for both him and his family, sources close to them told The Indian Express on Saturday. According to those familiar with the matter, the family had anticipated that such a move might eventually be taken. However, they were informed of Gupta’s final call only by his lawyer on Friday, and within hours, the development had surfaced in media reports.

A person close to the family said they had been battling the case for an extended period and that Gupta likely understood the emotional and mental strain it had imposed on them. “The family has been fighting this for so long. He would have sensed the toll it was taking on them and decided to put an end to it. He hasn’t turned approver or anything but has taken all the blame on himself, from what the family has been told by his lawyer,” the source said.

The decision to plead guilty, which is expected to result in sentencing and imprisonment, has deeply shaken Gupta’s immediate family. His wife and mother, in particular, are said to be struggling to come to terms with the development. “It’s obviously the toughest for them, this development,” the source added, describing the sense of shock and distress within the household following the news.