How imprisoned kingpin Lawrence Bishnoi led an American assassination plot
Police officers escort Lawrence Bishnoi to a court in New Delhi. File | Photo credit: Reuters
The United States has publicly described for the first time the alleged role of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his criminal network in a transnational conspiracy that investigators say extends beyond India.
During Operation Hard Ball, the FBI led a global effort to dismantle the gang, resulting in sweeping indictments that revealed the full extent and violent nature of these criminal networks.
Why was Lawrence Bishnoi indicted by the US?
According to an unsealed US indictment, Lawrence Bishnoi is accused of running a criminal organization that allegedly carried out murder-for-hire, extortion, arms trafficking and other organized crimes in many countries.
Although Bishnoi has been imprisoned in India for years, US authorities say he continued to control his gang members through associates operating in India and abroad.
What do the charges say?
The prosecution alleges that the Bishnoi gang engaged in:
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Extortion schemes
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International drug trade
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Running a criminal company that engaged in contract killings
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kidnappings
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arms trade
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Cross-border organized crime
Bishnoi connection with the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar
The prosecution also alleges that members of the Bishnoi gang were involved in the killing of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. According to the federal indictment, Bishnoi ordered the killing of Nijjar, referred to in court documents as “HSN,” outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia on June 18, 2023.
US investigators say Bishnoi’s network provided support for the plot, with gang members helping carry out violent operations outside India.
Was Lawrence Bishnoi accused of murdering Nijjar?
US federal authorities charged both jailed Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his associate Satinderjeet Singh (aka Goldy Brar) with ordering Nijjar’s assassination.
A total of 37 defendants — including Lawrence Bishnoi and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria — are charged in three counts. Those arrested in the United States — 11 in California, one in Indiana and one in Georgia — are expected to make their first federal court appearances today.
Three defendants were arrested in Canada, one defendant was arrested in Spain and seven defendants were already in custody prior to today’s law enforcement operation.
Police are looking for 10 fugitives – seven in the United States, two in India and one in Europe.
If convicted, many of the defendants would face mandatory minimum sentences ranging from 10 years to life in prison and a statutory maximum of life in federal prison.
Why is the US involved?
The US investigation expanded after authorities discovered the operation of a transnational network in several countries, including the United States, Canada, India and the United Arab Emirates.
In a coordinated operation dubbed “Operation Hard ball,” law enforcement agencies in the U.S., Canada and Europe arrested 24 people — 11 of them in California — linked to three India-based multinational organized crime groups accused of a litany of crimes, including Nijjar’s murder.
The current action is the result of a years-long federal investigation into Indian crime syndicates involved in extortion, targeted killings, shootings, extortion, trafficking of large quantities of narcotics across international borders and other crimes around the world, the impact of which is particularly felt in the Indian diaspora.
Nijjar’s killing soured bilateral relations between India and Canada as then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sought to link the New Delhi government to the murder. India dismissed the claims as “absurd and motivated”.
Published – 8 Jul 2026 12:25 PM IST