The recent development in the case involving Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, has brought significant attention to allegations of transnational repression by the Indian government. Gupta pleaded guilty on February 13, 2026, in a US federal court to charges of murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, as reported by multiple sources including the Tribune Latest and Daily Times. The plot targeted Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a US-based Sikh activist advocating for an independent Sikh state, known as Khalistan. According to the US Justice Department, Gupta was recruited by Vikash Yadav, an employee of India's Cabinet Secretariat, which oversees the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India's foreign intelligence service. Yadav remains at large. The conspirators agreed on a $100,000 payment for the assassination, with $15,000 paid upfront, but the plot was thwarted by US law enforcement before any harm could occur (Dawn, Al Jazeera).