US Charges Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar for Nijjar Assassination in Canada
The United States unsealed federal indictments on July 7, 2026, charging Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his aide Goldy Brar with ordering the June 2023 assassination of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, Canada. The FBI-led Operation Hardball resulted in 24 arrests across the US, Canada, and Europe, with 37 defendants charged for racketeering, murder-for-hire, extortion, and drug trafficking. The case had previously strained India-Canada relations after Canada alleged Indian government involvement, which India denied.
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Punjab Police arrests inspector linked to U.S. indictment in extortion case
Punjab Police arrested Inspector Gurinderjit Singh Nagra on July 18, 2026, following allegations linking him to a U.S. federal indictment in an extortion conspiracy involving an India-based organized crime syndicate. Nagra, previously posted as Station House Officer in Hoshiarpur, was shifted to Police Lines on July 8 after media reports connected him to the indictment. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California announced 'Operation Hard Ball,' a coordinated international crackdown against transnational organized crime groups, leading to 24 arrests in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. The indictment alleges Nagra attempted to implicate a U.S.-based family in a false murder case in India to coerce them into paying $400,000. The indictment also names gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi and Satinderjeet Singh alias Goldy Brar for allegedly ordering the 2023 assassination of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. Punjab Police has ordered a fact-finding inquiry into the matter.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.U.S. Charges Punjab Police Officer Alongside Gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi and Bhagwanpuria
The United States Department of Justice has charged 37 individuals, including Punjab Police officer Gurinderjit Singh, in a sweeping racketeering case targeting the Bhagwanpuria transnational criminal syndicate. The officer is accused of collaborating with imprisoned gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, an associate-turned-rival of Lawrence Bishnoi. The syndicate, headquartered in India with over 1,000 members worldwide, is alleged to have engaged in targeted killings, extortion, drug trafficking, and corruption of Indian law enforcement. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli announced the charges, stating the officer is not yet in custody but will be extradited. The indictment details how corrupt officers provided false information to target rivals, including a specific April 2026 incident where a victim was falsely accused of murder in India after being threatened by a syndicate member in California.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.U.S. to seek extradition of Lawrence Bishnoi and Gurinderjit Singh Nagra
The United States has announced it will seek the extradition of Lawrence Bishnoi, accused of ordering the 2023 assassination of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, and Gurinderjit Singh Nagra, implicated in a $400,000 extortion case in the U.S. The U.S. Department of Justice has also charged Bishnoi's aide Goldy Brar with ordering Nijjar's murder, and the FBI has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to Brar's arrest. These actions are part of a broader international law enforcement operation called 'Operation Hardball,' which resulted in the arrest of 24 individuals across the United States, Canada, and Europe, with a total of 37 people charged in connection with three India-based transnational organized crime groups. The extradition requests were confirmed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.How informants helped the FBI unravel Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang
On July 8, the U.S. Department of Justice announced indictments against three Punjab-linked transnational organized crime syndicates operating across India, Canada, the United States, and Europe. The most significant allegation is that Lawrence Bishnoi, a 33-year-old Punjab-born gangster currently in an Ahmedabad prison, and his associate Satinderjeet Singh (Goldy Brar) ordered the June 2023 assassination of pro-Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. The article, published by The Hindu on July 12, 2026, explains how informants helped the FBI unravel the gang's operations, highlighting the international scope of the criminal network and its connections to violent acts across multiple countries.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.Why did the U.S. indict Lawrence Bishnoi over Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s murder?
The United States has indicted jailed Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi for his alleged role in a transnational conspiracy linked to the June 2023 murder of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. The indictment, unsealed during FBI-led Operation Hardball, accuses Bishnoi of leading a criminal organization involved in murder-for-hire, extortion, drug trafficking, and weapons trafficking across multiple countries. Despite being imprisoned in India, Bishnoi allegedly continued directing gang operations through associates. The charges also name his associate Satinderjeet Singh (Goldy Brar) and 35 other defendants. Eleven individuals were arrested in California, one in Indiana, and one in Georgia. This marks the first time the U.S. has publicly detailed Bishnoi's alleged role in the Nijjar killing, which has strained Canada-India relations.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.How undercover agents and informants helped the FBI unravel Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang
The U.S. Department of Justice indicted 37 individuals linked to three transnational organized crime syndicates operating from India, Canada, the U.S., and Europe. The central group, led by incarcerated gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his associate Goldy Brar, is accused of ordering the June 2023 assassination of pro-Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. The FBI's years-long investigation, relying on undercover agents and informants, uncovered a network involved in targeted killings, extortion, drug trafficking, and kidnappings aimed at intimidating businessmen and the Indian diaspora. Other indicted groups include the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria syndicate and Ravinder Singh Dhanda's narcotics network. Arrests have been made in the U.S., Canada, and Spain, with 10 fugitives still at large.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.Why did the U.S. indict Lawrence Bishnoi over Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s murder?
The United States has indicted jailed Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi for his alleged role in a transnational conspiracy linked to the June 2023 murder of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia. The FBI-led Operation Hardball resulted in charges against 37 defendants, including Bishnoi and his associate Satinderjeet Singh (Goldy Brar), for ordering the assassination. The indictment alleges Bishnoi continued to direct his criminal network from prison, engaging in murder-for-hire, extortion, drug trafficking, and weapons trafficking across multiple countries. Eleven individuals were arrested in California, one in Indiana, and one in Georgia. This marks the first time the U.S. has publicly detailed the Bishnoi gang's transnational operations.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.FBI Uses Undercover Agents and Informants to Unravel Lawrence Bishnoi's Transnational Crime Gang
The U.S. Department of Justice announced indictments against 37 individuals linked to three Punjab-based transnational organized crime syndicates operating across India, Canada, the US, and Europe. The central group, led by incarcerated gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, is accused of ordering the June 2023 assassination of pro-Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. The FBI investigation, involving undercover agents and informants, uncovered a network involved in targeted killings, extortion, drug trafficking, and racketeering. Key figures include Goldy Brar, who allegedly managed North American operations, and Rohit Godara, who oversaw European activities. Twenty-four defendants have been arrested in the US, Canada, and Spain, while ten remain fugitives. The indictment also covers the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria group and Ravinder Singh Dhanda's drug trafficking network.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.Operation Hardball explained: Inside FBI’s crackdown on Lawrence Bishnoi and his associates
The FBI's Operation Hardball, a covert mission launched after the June 2023 murder of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, has resulted in a major crackdown on Lawrence Bishnoi's alleged transnational crime network. With 24 arrests across the US, Canada, and Europe, and 37 defendants charged across three indictments unsealed on July 7, 2026, the operation targets Indian crime syndicates involved in racketeering, targeted killings, extortion, and drug trafficking. The US Attorney's office confirmed arrests in California, Indiana, and Georgia. The operation is significant as US law enforcement accuses Bishnoi's gang of orchestrating Nijjar's assassination, a case that previously strained India-Canada relations after then-PM Trudeau alleged Indian government involvement—a claim India rejected. The US supported Canada's investigation but did not independently confirm the allegation.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.Why did the U.S. indict Lawrence Bishnoi over Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s murder?
The United States has indicted jailed Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi for his alleged role in a transnational conspiracy linked to the June 2023 murder of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. The indictment, unsealed on July 7, 2026, as part of FBI-led 'Operation Hardball,' accuses Bishnoi of leading a criminal organization involved in murder-for-hire, extortion, drug trafficking, and weapons trafficking across multiple countries. While Bishnoi has been imprisoned in India, U.S. authorities allege he continued directing gang operations through associates. The indictment does not accuse Bishnoi of personally carrying out the murder but alleges his network provided support. A total of 37 defendants are charged across three indictments, with arrests made in the U.S., Canada, and Spain. The U.S. investigation expanded after discovering the network's operations across the U.S., Canada, India, and the UAE.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.US charges Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar over Nijjar assassination in Canada
The United States has formally charged jailed Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and fugitive Goldy Brar with ordering the assassination of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. The charges are part of a broader global crime crackdown. Nijjar, a prominent Khalistani figure, was killed in Canada, and the US action marks a significant escalation in international cooperation against organized crime and cross-border violence. The development highlights ongoing tensions between India and Canada over the case, as well as US involvement in transnational justice efforts.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.U.S. Charges Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar for 2023 Killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada
The United States has charged Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his aide Satinderjeet Singh alias Goldy Brar with ordering the assassination of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023. The charges were part of a federal indictment unsealed in Los Angeles on July 7, 2026. In a coordinated international operation named 'Operation Hardball,' law enforcement agencies from the U.S., Canada, and Europe arrested 24 individuals—11 in California—linked to three India-based transnational organized crime groups. In total, 37 defendants were charged across three indictments for racketeering, targeted killings, extortion, and drug trafficking. The killing had previously soured bilateral relations between India and Canada, with then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleging Indian government involvement, which New Delhi denied. Bishnoi is imprisoned in India, while Brar remains at large.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.