Bharat received consular access on three
occasions to Nikhil Gupta, who has been in a jail in the Czech capital of
Prague following the US accusing him of involvement in a foiled plot to kill a
Khalistani terrorist on American soil.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson
Arindam Bagchi said Bharat is extending necessary consular assistance to Gupta.
“An Indian national is currently in the
custody of the Czech authorities pending a request for extradition to US. We
have received consular access at least on three occasions,” Bagchi said at his
weekly media briefing in response to a question on the case involving Gupta.
“We are extending necessary consular
assistance as per requirement,” he said.
Gupta, 52, has been accused by the US Government
of involvement in conspiring to kill US-based Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant
Singh Pannun.
His family approached the Supreme Court
last week pleading for issuing direction to the central government to intervene
in the extradition proceedings and ensuring a fair trial in the case.
The US federal prosecutors have charged Gupta
over working with an Indian Government employee in the foiled plot to kill
Pannun, who holds dual citizenship of the US and Canada.
India has already constituted a probe
committee to investigate allegations.
FBI Director Christopher Wray visited Bharat
last week against the backdrop of the charges by Washington in the case.
US Principal Deputy NSA Jonathan Finer
too visited Bharat earlier this month during which he held talks with External
Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra
and Deputy NSA Vikran Misri.
Following the visit, the White House
said Finer conveyed to New Delhi the importance of holding accountable anyone
found responsible in the probe that India announced to investigate the alleged
Indian link to the “lethal plotting”.
PTI
