US DoJ to Seek Extradition of Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi

The US Department of Justice (DoJ) confirmed it will seek the extradition of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. The move follows a US indictment charging Bishnoi and his aide Goldy Brar with ordering the killing of Canada-based Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Arrested in 2014, Bishnoi is currently lodged in a Gujarat jail. 

Ciaran McEvoy, Public Affairs Officer at the US Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, said: "Bishnoi himself remains incarcerated in India. We intend to seek his extradition to the United States. (Extradition is a lengthy legal process and often takes years to complete.)"

Operation Hardball Crackdown

The US DoJ charged 37 people in the indictment under 'Operation Hardball'. This coordinated action by US, Canada and European law enforcement led to the arrest of 24 people linked to three Indian transnational crime syndicates.

Besides Bishnoi and his aide Goldy Brar, the indictment names other gang leaders. These include Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, who is lodged in an Assam jail, and Canada-based Ravinder Singh Dhanda. The FBI announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to Brar's arrest.

McEvoy said the trial date for Dhanda gang members is set for August 31 at the Los Angeles court. The trial for Bhagwanpuria gang members will begin a day later at the same court. "The odds are better than excellent that those dates will get continued," McEvoy said, indicating that the cases are likely to be rescheduled.

On the Bishnoi gang, McEvoy said they have not been arraigned "in our jurisdiction". "Once they are transferred here, they will be," McEvoy said.

Legal Hurdles And Process

The 1997 bilateral Extradition Treaty and India's Extradition Act, 1962 govern extradition between the two nations. There is no clarity on when the US DoJ will send the request. Under the procedure, the US DoJ would prepare the request and the US State Department would transmit it to India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The MEA, in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs and agencies like the CBI, would then examine whether it conforms to the treaty and the law.

Bishnoi is already in judicial custody in India and faces numerous criminal prosecutions nationwide. India could legally argue that he must first face trial domestically and, if convicted, serve any sentence before extradition takes place.

Diplomatic Silence And Cooperation

As of July 2026, the MEA has not issued any official response or public comment on the unsealed indictment or the US plans to extradite Bishnoi.

Before the indictment was unsealed, Indian central agencies worked through the MEA to share extensive intelligence with US law enforcement. This included a list of US-based gangsters and evidence of their networks, which helped facilitate the joint operation.