Bishnoi Connected to Nijjar Killing in US; ‘Case Proves Our Point,’ says Sikh Coalition

July

2026

The US has announced charges against Lawrence Bishnoi—the leader of an Indian criminal gang, currently in jail at Ahmedabad, Gujarat—in connection with the political assassination of Sikh leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Canada in June 2023. The high-profile killing had plunged relations between Ottawa and New Delhi into crisis. The charges were part of a massive law enforcement operation involving agencies across the US, Canada, and Europe that led charges against 37 people who are part of three Indian international crime syndicates tied to kidnappings, racketeering, extortion, firearms dealing, drug trafficking, and murder, as per US Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli on 8 Jul. 24 of the charged have been arrested. Assistant Director in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Los Angeles field office, Patrick Grandy said, 'The groups have fueled violence, fear, and instability within the Indian communities throughout California and abroad'. According to the indictment, under Operation code named Hard Ball, an India-based member of the gang, Sukhraj Singh Kang, provided key evidence. On 25 Jan 2025, Kang spoke to a person he believed was an individual, who was owed a debt of USD 200K. But the person was a confidential informant working with law enforcement (CI-1). Kang agreed to assist CI-1 with extorting the debtor in exchange for a fee of USD 16K. Investigators then provided a staged video purporting to show a shooting at the debtor’s residence-an undercover law-enforcement agent (UC-1). Members of the gang believed the video was real and used it to intimidate the intended victim. The call records of these gang members is the key evidence in the case. The FBI has also announced a USD 50K reward for information leading to the arrest of Bishnoi's friend and partner Satinderjit Singh alias Goldy Brar. In December 2022, Panjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had falsely claimed that Brar was arrested and would be extradited to India. The US now wants to extradite Bishnoi. US-based advocacy group Sikh Coalition says, ‘Any comprehensive definition of translational repression must note that foreign governments use their own agents, criminal actors, and other proxies to achieve their repressive goals. This indictment is one case in point why that remains true’ (earlier coverage).