Who is Nitish Kaushal? FBI arrests alleged Bhagwanpuria gang involved in global crime crackdown | Today’s news
The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Thursday (local time) announced the arrest of Nitish Kaushal, who is an alleged associate of a criminal gang called the Bhagwanpuria Organized Crime Group (OCG).
The announcement was made by the federal agency in a social media post on X, which said Kaushal, who was wanted by the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, was apprehended with the help of US Border Patrol personnel.
“Thanks to the excellent work our partners @USBPChiefSWB do to keep our northern border safe and secure, this dangerous fugitive from @FBILosAngeles was captured early this morning in Vermont,” FBI Albany said.
The FBI also said it remains committed to working with law enforcement partners to “protect our borders and keep our communities safe from dangerous criminals.”
Who is Nitish Kaushal?
According to an official wanted notice issued by the FBI, Kaushal, who also goes by the alias ‘Lala’, is wanted for his involvement in the Bhagwanpuria gang, which the FBI described as a “transnational criminal organization involved in acts including murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, extortion, arms trafficking, money laundering and people smuggling, among others.”
The FBI revealed that the criminal group originated in Punjab, India and had operations in California’s Central District and other areas. It also said that Kaushal “carried out acts of violence on behalf of Bhagwanpuria OCG, including but not limited to kidnapping and assaults”.
A federal warrant for Kaushal’s arrest was issued on June 25, 2026 by the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the FBI said, adding that he was being prosecuted under the Racketeer and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
The wanted notice issued a warning that Kaushal “should be considered armed and dangerous and a flight risk.”
The move comes amid the FBI’s ‘Operation Hardball’, a massive multinational offensive it has launched to eliminate the crime syndicate’s global footprint.
The coordinated crackdown sparked raids in the US, Canada and Europe.
Around 37 people, including Lawrence Bishnoi and his associate Satinderjeet Singh, have been charged by US courts in three separate federal lawsuits. Others named as well include Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, Ravinder Singh Dhanda, Rohit Godara and a number of other alleged members of crime syndicates.
