Global Crackdown: US Charges Imprisoned Indian Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi in 2023 Assassination of Sikh Leader

A massive, years-long international law enforcement operation has culminated in the unsealing of federal indictments in Los Angeles, exposing a sprawling web of targeted killings, extortion, and drug trafficking.

At the center of the charges is Lawrence Bishnoi, an imprisoned Indian gangster, and his North American deputy, Satinderjeet "Goldy Brar" Singh. Both have been charged by US prosecutors with ordering the high-profile 2023 assassination of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada—a murder that previously triggered a massive diplomatic firestorm.

The Scale of the Crackdown

The charges against Bishnoi and Brar are part of a broader, multi-agency investigation targeting three India-based organized crime syndicates.

• Mass Arrests: A total of 37 defendants have been charged across three unsealed indictments. So far, 24 suspects have been arrested or are already in custody across the US, Canada, and Europe.
• Major Seizures: Law enforcement officials seized approximately 1,000 kg (2,200 lbs) of cocaine, 1 kg of heroin, $40,000 in cash, and a dozen firearms during the probe.
• Collaborative Effort: The operation relied on seamless cooperation between the FBI, Los Angeles Police Department, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), and US Customs and Border Protection.

"Transnational criminal gangs who spread fear, drugs, and violence will face the full force of justice and the weight of the federal government," said First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli. "There is no safe harbor for these thugs."

Jail-Cell Orders: The Nijjar Assassination

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, was a Canadian citizen and a prominent Sikh separatist who publicly campaigned for Khalistan—the proposed creation of an independent Sikh homeland in India's Punjab region. He had previously been designated a terrorist by New Delhi.

On June 18, 2023, Nijjar was ambushed and shot dead by two masked gunmen in his vehicle outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara temple in Surrey, British Columbia.

According to the unsealed US indictment, the hit was orchestrated directly from an Indian prison:

• The Plot: Prosecutors allege that Lawrence Bishnoi, 33, directed the assassination from his Indian jail cell using smuggled cellphones. He allegedly provided a co-conspirator with Nijjar’s photograph and multiple addresses to facilitate the hit.
• The Syndicate: Satinderjeet "Goldy Brar" Singh, 32—a childhood friend of Bishnoi—allegedly managed the stateside operations for the "Lawrence Bishnoi Organized Crime Group." Brar remains at large, while Bishnoi has been incarcerated in India since 2015.

Extortion and Transnational Violence

Beyond the Nijjar assassination, prosecutors allege the Bishnoi gang systematically targeted prominent religious and political leaders for violence and extortion.

In one cited instance spanning December and January, Bishnoi, Brar, and other defendants allegedly attempted to extort a victim in California, demanding a $5 million payment. In response to the group's escalating global reach, Canada officially listed the Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity last year, allowing the government to freeze assets and seize property tied to the group.

Shifting Diplomatic Undercurrents

The new US indictments notably pivot away from previous political narratives surrounding Nijjar's death.

While Canadian police arrested four Indian nationals in May 2024 over the killing and initially probed potential ties to the Indian government, the US indictment refers to the shooters strictly as co-conspirators within the criminal syndicate.

Under current Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, relations between Ottawa and New Delhi have notably thawed. Following a bilateral visit to India in February, talks have resumed on a major trade deal expected to conclude by November. However, this diplomatic pivot has drawn criticism from some Sikh advocacy groups, who accuse Ottawa of prioritizing trade over safeguarding Sikh Canadians from foreign interference.