A US federal indictment in Los Angeles charged Lawrence Bishnoi and Satinderjeet Singh alias Goldy Brar with ordering the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023.
Operation Hardball, a coordinated global law enforcement effort, led to the arrest of 24 individuals linked to three India-based crime syndicates.
A US federal indictment unsealed in Los Angeles on Tuesday charged Lawrence Bishnoi and Satinderjeet Singh alias Goldy Brar with ordering the assassination of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Nijjar, referred to as 'H.S.N.' in court documents, was killed outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023.
Law enforcement agencies from the US, Canada and Europe coordinated 'Operation Hardball', resulting in the arrest of 24 individuals connected to three India-based transnational organised crime groups.
"Working together, law enforcement in the US, Canada, Europe, and Asia are determined to target and dismantle these criminal organisations wherever they operate. There is no safe harbor for these thugs," First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli said according to PTI.
Global Arrests And Fugitives
A total of 37 defendants face charges across three indictments. This includes two defendants running global criminal syndicates from Indian prisons. Bishnoi is jailed in India, while Brar remains at large.
Authorities made 24 arrests across multiple jurisdictions. These include 11 suspects in California, one in Indiana and one in Georgia, who are expected to make their initial appearances today in federal court. Three defendants were arrested in Canada and one in Spain. Seven defendants were already in custody.
Law enforcement agencies are actively searching for 10 fugitives. Seven are located in the US, two in India and one in Europe.
The charges stem from a years-long federal investigation into Indian crime syndicates. These groups are involved in racketeering, targeted killings, extortion and international narcotics trafficking.
Law Enforcement Response
"Today’s (Tuesday’s) coordinated operation strikes at the heart of three brutal transnational organizations that have terrorised families, exploited communities, and stolen lives through ruthless acts of violence in the US and abroad," Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office Patrick Grandy said.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner Mike Duheme said that the agencies disrupted operations of "organised criminals who used murder, cruelty and fear to extort and control people in both Canada and the United States".
"We won't pause for long to reflect on the work it took to get this job done – we'll keep doing what we do best to preserve public safety in Canada, in the United States, and around the world," Duheme said.
Bilateral Diplomatic Fallout
The assassination of Nijjar severely soured bilateral relations between India and Canada.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau previously sought to link the government in New Delhi to the murder.
India rejected the allegations made by Canada as "absurd and motivated".
