The United States has charged Lawrence Bishnoi, the imprisoned leader of an Indian criminal gang, and his associate Satinderjeet Singh, known as Goldy Brar, with orchestrating the 2023 murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. This action is part of a broader international crackdown on transnational crime syndicates.
A federal indictment unsealed in Los Angeles alleges that Bishnoi, operating from an Indian prison using smuggled cellphones, directed the assassination of Nijjar outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023. The indictment also charges Brar with assisting in the execution of the murder.
The indictment describes Bishnoi as a gangster who projected an image of a "patriot," "nationalist," and deeply religious individual through social media posts and interviews with news organizations. He used this public image to recruit members and associates to his crime syndicate in India, the United States, and elsewhere.
The U.S. Department of Justice has charged 37 individuals across three indictments, including Bishnoi and Brar, for various offenses such as racketeering, targeted killings, extortion, and drug trafficking. The charges are part of a years-long federal investigation into Indian crime syndicates operating globally.
The indictment does not allege any involvement of the Indian government in Nijjar's murder. This development comes amid strained relations between India and Canada following the assassination.
In a related operation, law enforcement agencies in the U.S., Canada, and Europe arrested 24 individuals connected to three India-based transnational crime groups, including the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The operation, named "Operation Hard Ball," targeted organized crime activities such as racketeering, targeted killings, extortion, and drug trafficking.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California emphasized that transnational criminal gangs spreading fear, drugs, and violence will face the full force of justice and the weight of the federal government.
The FBI has announced a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest of Goldy Brar, who remains at large.
This case highlights the international collaboration in combating transnational organized crime and the commitment to bringing perpetrators to justice, regardless of their location.