News Brief
Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannum
In an attempt to prevent his extradition to the United States, lawyers for Nikhil Gupta have requested the Czech court to determine whether he was an agent of the Indian secret service and if he had any choice but to follow orders to kill Pannun.
Gupta is currently detained in Prague for his alleged involvement in a plot to kill Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
However, a Czech court rejected this argument, calling it "absurd" to suggest that a democracy like India would resort to such methods, according to a report by The Indian Express..
Gupta was detained by Czech authorities at the request of the US government shortly after arriving in Prague on 30 June last year.
Since then, his extradition case has been reviewed and decided by the Czech Municipal Court, High Court, and Constitutional Court.
On 22 May, the Constitutional Court, the highest court in the country, dismissed Gupta’s challenge to the decisions of the Municipal Court and the High Court in Prague, both of which ruled in favour of the US request for his extradition.
This decision clears the way for Gupta’s extradition, pending a final decision by the Ministry of Justice.
Court documents show that Gupta’s lawyers argued before the Prague High Court that their client was acting as a "soldier sui generis" in eliminating a terrorist who, according to the Indian government, poses a threat to India’s security similar to how Osama bin Laden threatened the United States.
The Prague High Court, in its 8 January order, dismissed this argument, stating that it was unnecessary to consider whether Gupta was obligated to comply with the alleged murder order due to potential connections to India’s secret services.
The court emphasised that it was unreasonable to suggest that a democratic state like India, which adheres to the rule of law and international treaties, would resolve its issues by murdering a citizen of another state, especially when it maintains normal relations and has a legal assistance agreement with that state.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.
Latest