Lawrance Bishnoi's US indictment: Govt says committed to combating organised crime
The government responded to the US indictment of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, saying India remains committed to combating organised crime and strengthening law enforcement cooperation with the United States.
The government on Tuesday said that the country remains committed to combating organised crime and criminal syndicates after the United States indicted Lawrence Bishnoi, his gang members and other transnational criminal networks, including charges linked to the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.
Responding to the US Department of Justice's action, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India and the United States share a strong and expanding partnership in tackling terrorism and organised crime.
"We have seen the announcements made by the US Department of Justice regarding the indictments and enforcement action against transnational organised criminal networks operating across several countries," the MEA said.
The ministry noted that India has consistently maintained that transnational organised crime, terrorism, narco-trafficking, human trafficking, illegal firearms trafficking and related criminal networks pose a serious threat to societies.
"India and the United States enjoy strong and growing cooperation in combating terrorism as well as transnational organised crime. Our agencies have worked closely together over the years, and this cooperation continues to deepen," it added.
On the murder of Hardeep Nijjar, the MEA said it had taken note of remarks made by a senior Canadian police official and said those comments were in line with the recently unsealed US indictment.
"We have noted the remarks made by RCMP Deputy Commissioner. These remarks are consistent with the recently unsealed US indictment which attributes responsibility to the members of the Lawrence Bishnoi organised crime group," the ministry said.
"India remains committed to working with our partners in combating terrorism and transnational organised crime through close law enforcement and security cooperation," it added.
The statement came days after the US Department of Justice charged jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his close aide Satinderjeet Singh alias Goldy Brar with ordering the assassination of Nijjar, a Canadian citizen who was shot dead outside a gurdwara Canada's British Columbia in June 2023.
According to a federal indictment unsealed in Los Angeles, Bishnoi directed the killing of Nijjar, while Brar coordinated operations in North America. Bishnoi has been jailed in India since 2015, while Brar remains at large.
The Nijjar case had triggered a major diplomatic rift between India and Canada after former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian government involvement in the killing. India has repeatedly rejected those allegations as "absurd" and "motivated".
The FBI has announced a reward of USD 50,000 for information leading to Brar's arrest and said a federal arrest warrant was issued against him on July 1. He faces charges including racketeering conspiracy, extortion conspiracy and drug trafficking offences.
US prosecutors further alleged that Bishnoi continued to run his criminal enterprise from prison through trusted lieutenants, including Brar in North America and Rajasthan-based Rohit Godara in Europe. The indictment claims that gang members used encrypted messaging applications such as WhatsApp to threaten victims and extort money.
US officials have also indicated that they will seek the extradition of Bishnoi and Gurinderjit Singh Nagra, another accused named in the investigation, though authorities have not provided further details on the process.
The government on Tuesday said that the country remains committed to combating organised crime and criminal syndicates after the United States indicted Lawrence Bishnoi, his gang members and other transnational criminal networks, including charges linked to the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.
Responding to the US Department of Justice's action, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India and the United States share a strong and expanding partnership in tackling terrorism and organised crime.
"We have seen the announcements made by the US Department of Justice regarding the indictments and enforcement action against transnational organised criminal networks operating across several countries," the MEA said.
The ministry noted that India has consistently maintained that transnational organised crime, terrorism, narco-trafficking, human trafficking, illegal firearms trafficking and related criminal networks pose a serious threat to societies.
"India and the United States enjoy strong and growing cooperation in combating terrorism as well as transnational organised crime. Our agencies have worked closely together over the years, and this cooperation continues to deepen," it added.
On the murder of Hardeep Nijjar, the MEA said it had taken note of remarks made by a senior Canadian police official and said those comments were in line with the recently unsealed US indictment.
"We have noted the remarks made by RCMP Deputy Commissioner. These remarks are consistent with the recently unsealed US indictment which attributes responsibility to the members of the Lawrence Bishnoi organised crime group," the ministry said.
"India remains committed to working with our partners in combating terrorism and transnational organised crime through close law enforcement and security cooperation," it added.
The statement came days after the US Department of Justice charged jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his close aide Satinderjeet Singh alias Goldy Brar with ordering the assassination of Nijjar, a Canadian citizen who was shot dead outside a gurdwara Canada's British Columbia in June 2023.
According to a federal indictment unsealed in Los Angeles, Bishnoi directed the killing of Nijjar, while Brar coordinated operations in North America. Bishnoi has been jailed in India since 2015, while Brar remains at large.
The Nijjar case had triggered a major diplomatic rift between India and Canada after former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian government involvement in the killing. India has repeatedly rejected those allegations as "absurd" and "motivated".
The FBI has announced a reward of USD 50,000 for information leading to Brar's arrest and said a federal arrest warrant was issued against him on July 1. He faces charges including racketeering conspiracy, extortion conspiracy and drug trafficking offences.
US prosecutors further alleged that Bishnoi continued to run his criminal enterprise from prison through trusted lieutenants, including Brar in North America and Rajasthan-based Rohit Godara in Europe. The indictment claims that gang members used encrypted messaging applications such as WhatsApp to threaten victims and extort money.
US officials have also indicated that they will seek the extradition of Bishnoi and Gurinderjit Singh Nagra, another accused named in the investigation, though authorities have not provided further details on the process.
