[ad_1]
NEW DELHI: In his habeas corpus petition filed in the Supreme Court of India, the Indian citizen in prison in Czech Republic, identified as Nikhil Gupta by US authorities, says he is not someone who was tasked to hire an assassin to carry out a hit on US soil of wanted Pro-Khalistanterrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Gupta says he is actually a middle-class businessman who runs a consultancy dealing with excavation and import- export based out of Delhi.He claims he is a law abiding and peaceful Indian citizen who lives with his family consisting of his mother, wife and two major children in the capital.
Gupta says there have been numerous procedural violations threatening the fundamental rights and even his most basic human rights, in his arrest and subsequent incarceration in Czech Republic, awaiting extradition to the US. He says the recent leaks of confidential information about his case at New York and the irresponsible reporting on the same has put an imminent threat to the life and well-being in Czech Republic and to his family in India.
Recounting the events of June 30, Gupta says he had landed in the Czech capital and just as he was exiting Prague airport, certain individuals who said they were law enforcement detained him without assigning any reason. Then they forcefully made Gupta sit in an unidentified black SUV where he was relieved of his phone and a device was attached to it. Gupta said that individuals who identified themselves as “American agents” forcefully made him unlock his phone and also took his pictures.
After being held, Gupta says local jail authorities continued to pressurise him to confess to the alleged offences and waive off his right to an extradition trial. He says the defence attorney appointed by Czech authorities informed him that he would be allowed to call his wife and children once he confesses his crimes and pleads guilty. Furthermore, he was threatened that if he did not cooperate with the US agencies then he would never see his family again. Despite pressure, Gupta claimed he did not plead guilty and asked for proper and effective legal representation.
Gupta says he is a devout Hindu and a vegetarian who was offered only non-vegetarian food including beef and pork. Even after Gupta repeatedly informed the jail authorities that he is a vegetarian, he says he was refused vegetarian food for a period of 10-11 days and he was forced to consume food that violated not just his religious and fundamental rights but also his most basic human rights.
Gupta claims he was kept in solitary confinement where he was not allowed to interact with anyone whatsoever. The prison authorities apparently told Gupta that the reports of his medical tests had stated that he had contracted a very serious blood infection which is communicable. Therefore he was moved into solitary confinement. It is pertinent to note that the petitioner was not shown these ‘medical reports’.
Gupta says there have been numerous procedural violations threatening the fundamental rights and even his most basic human rights, in his arrest and subsequent incarceration in Czech Republic, awaiting extradition to the US. He says the recent leaks of confidential information about his case at New York and the irresponsible reporting on the same has put an imminent threat to the life and well-being in Czech Republic and to his family in India.
Recounting the events of June 30, Gupta says he had landed in the Czech capital and just as he was exiting Prague airport, certain individuals who said they were law enforcement detained him without assigning any reason. Then they forcefully made Gupta sit in an unidentified black SUV where he was relieved of his phone and a device was attached to it. Gupta said that individuals who identified themselves as “American agents” forcefully made him unlock his phone and also took his pictures.
After being held, Gupta says local jail authorities continued to pressurise him to confess to the alleged offences and waive off his right to an extradition trial. He says the defence attorney appointed by Czech authorities informed him that he would be allowed to call his wife and children once he confesses his crimes and pleads guilty. Furthermore, he was threatened that if he did not cooperate with the US agencies then he would never see his family again. Despite pressure, Gupta claimed he did not plead guilty and asked for proper and effective legal representation.
Gupta says he is a devout Hindu and a vegetarian who was offered only non-vegetarian food including beef and pork. Even after Gupta repeatedly informed the jail authorities that he is a vegetarian, he says he was refused vegetarian food for a period of 10-11 days and he was forced to consume food that violated not just his religious and fundamental rights but also his most basic human rights.
Gupta claims he was kept in solitary confinement where he was not allowed to interact with anyone whatsoever. The prison authorities apparently told Gupta that the reports of his medical tests had stated that he had contracted a very serious blood infection which is communicable. Therefore he was moved into solitary confinement. It is pertinent to note that the petitioner was not shown these ‘medical reports’.
After US thwarts ‘kill Pannun’ plot, FBI Director Christopher Wray to visit India
Gupta has also claimed in his petition that despite repeated representations, emails, letters and phone calls the Indian Embassy at Prague, Czech Republic, there has been little assistance that they have been able to provide.
[ad_2]
Source link
More Stories
Congress replaces Kamal Nath, names an OBC as Madhya Pradesh chief | India News
Fire breaks out in ITBP camp in Srinagar; none hurt | India News
Parliament Security: Co-villagers give clean chit to Lalit Jha, parents to move court | India News