US Indicts Lawrence Bishnoi, Goldy Brar in Nijjar Murder; India Not Named
The US has announced federal charges against the jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his close associate Satinderjeet Singh alias Goldy Brar over the 2023 killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada
The US has announced federal charges against the jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his close associate Satinderjeet Singh alias Goldy Brar over the 2023 killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. The pair are at the center of an alleged transnational murder conspiracy involving organized crime networks across several countries, the indictment unsealed in Los Angeles said. But the charges do not allege the Indian government was behind the killing.
Bishnoi Charged with Plot Conspiracy from an Indian Jail
US prosecutors say Lawrence Bishnoi masterminded the murder while holed up in an Indian jail, using smuggled mobile phones to communicate with his network. Goldy Brar, who the investigators say provided Nijjar’s photos and addresses, oversaw the gang’s North American operations. The indictment alleges members of the syndicate tracked Nijjar before he was gunned down outside a Sikh gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023.
No Direct Link to Indian Govt
What is not said in the indictment is one of its most striking features. The U.S. charging documents do not accuse India or any Indian official of involvement in the conspiracy, despite long-standing allegations by Canadian authorities that agents of the Indian government were involved in the killing of Nijjar. That's a different thing from the diplomatic allegations Canada previously made against the alleged gang leaders in a criminal case.
In a global crackdown
The charges are part of a multinational law enforcement effort involving agencies from the United States, Canada, and Europe called Operation Hard Ball. Authorities said that dozens of people linked to Indian-based organized crime groups accused of murder, extortion, drug trafficking, and other serious offenses have been charged. The operation hit criminal networks with an international reach, and investigators say it showed growing cooperation between partner countries in tackling cross-border organized crime.
Continued diplomatic fallout
India's and Canada’s relationship has been strained since Nijjar was killed, with Ottawa accusing Indian agents of involvement and New Delhi denying the claims. The fresh US indictment increases the legal heat on the alleged gang leadership, but its failure to implicate the Indian government may influence the existing diplomatic narrative around the case. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities said further legal action may follow as international cooperation continues.
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