Washington: US federal prosecutors have charged jailed Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his close associate Satinderjeet Singh, alias Goldy Brar, with allegedly ordering the assassination of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. However, the indictment does not accuse the Government of India or any Indian government official of directing, facilitating or participating in the killing.
The distinction is significant because the murder of Nijjar in June 2023 triggered one of the most serious diplomatic disputes between India and Canada after then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that Canadian security agencies were investigating “credible allegations” linking Indian government agents to the assassination. India has consistently rejected those allegations as “absurd” and politically motivated.
US indictment focuses on organised crime
The newly unsealed federal indictment places organised crime figures at the centre of the case rather than any government or state agency.
According to US prosecutors, Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar allegedly ordered Nijjar’s assassination, supplied his photograph and multiple addresses, and instructed members of their criminal network to carry out the killing.
Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and a prominent advocate of Khalistan, was shot dead outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023.
The indictment alleges that the murder was orchestrated by the Bishnoi criminal enterprise but does not specify a motive beyond claiming that the organisation ordered the killing.
Charges part of ‘Operation Hard Ball’
The charges form part of Operation Hard Ball, which the US Department of Justice described as its largest-ever crackdown on India-based transnational organised crime networks.
In total, 37 individuals have been charged through three separate federal indictments involving allegations of:
- Murder and contract killings
- Extortion
- Narcotics trafficking
- Arms trafficking
- Kidnapping
- Human trafficking
- Money laundering
According to US authorities, the criminal organisations operated across North America, Europe and Asia.
Investigators also reported seizing approximately 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, one kilogram of heroin, firearms and large amounts of cash during the operation.
Bishnoi accused of directing crimes from prison
The indictment portrays Lawrence Bishnoi, 33, as the head of an extensive international criminal enterprise that allegedly continued operating despite his imprisonment in India.
The US Department of Justice alleged that Bishnoi used contraband mobile phones and internet-based communication devices smuggled into prison to direct criminal operations worldwide.
Prosecutors accused him of overseeing political assassinations, murders, extortion, kidnappings, drug trafficking and human smuggling through associates operating in several countries.
Goldy Brar, who is believed to be based in North America, has been identified as Bishnoi’s principal operational commander outside India.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued a warrant for Brar’s arrest and announced a reward of up to 50,000 US dollars for information leading to his capture.
US seeks Bishnoi’s extradition
US officials said they intend to seek Bishnoi’s extradition from India.
Speaking to reporters, First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli said Bishnoi had been charged and would face extradition proceedings.
US officials also questioned how certain organised crime figures were allegedly able to continue directing international criminal activities while incarcerated, though they stopped short of alleging any complicity by Indian authorities.
Different interpretations emerge
The indictment has generated differing interpretations among Indian commentators and Khalistan advocacy groups.
Supporters of the Indian government’s position have argued that the absence of allegations against India or its officials strengthens New Delhi’s long-standing denial of involvement in Nijjar’s killing.
Others have suggested the case points towards organised crime networks operating independently, with possible links to criminal rivalries, extortion, disputes over influence within gurdwaras or transnational drug trafficking.
However, Khalistan advocacy groups have rejected the suggestion that the indictment exonerates Indian authorities.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, general counsel of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), argued that the indictment should be viewed alongside a separate US case involving former Indian intelligence officer Vikash Yadav, who has been charged in connection with an alleged murder-for-hire plot targeting Pannun in New York.
India has consistently denied allegations made by SFJ and other Khalistan activists.
Diplomatic questions remain
While the indictment marks a significant development in the criminal investigation into Nijjar’s killing, it does not resolve the broader diplomatic dispute between India and Canada over allegations of state involvement.
Nearly three years after the assassination strained bilateral relations, the US case focuses on alleged organised crime figures rather than governments, leaving the wider political controversy unresolved as investigations continue.