Summary
Highlights
The US Department of Justice announced a significant crackdown as part of 'Operation Hardball' on a South Asian transnational crime network, charging 37 individuals from three Punjab-origin criminal syndicates operating across India, Canada, the US, and Europe. Among the accused is a serving Punjab police officer. The most significant revelation is the US allegation that jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his associate Goldy Brar ordered the 2023 killing of pro-Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.
The investigation, spanning multiple countries and years, centers on the Lawrence Bishnoi organized crime group, which prosecutors describe as a transnational criminal enterprise managed by Bishnoi even from prison. Goldy Brar allegedly handled North American operations, and Rohit Godara coordinated in Europe. The second group is the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria group, led by incarcerated gangster Jagtar Singh, with over 1,000 members worldwide. The third involves Canada-based Ravinder Singh Dhaliwal, accused of running a major cross-border drug trafficking operation.
Investigators allegedly built their case through an undercover operation involving a confidential informant and a senior Bishnoi lieutenant, Singh Kang. This operation revealed the gang's methods of extortion, threats, and payment arrangements. Encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal were extensively used for communication, with Rajan Bhatti allegedly demanding $200,000 via WhatsApp and Goldy Brar and others negotiating payments and threats on Signal.
The US indictment alleges that Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar ordered the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada in June 2023. Nijjar was designated a terrorist by India in 2020. This allegation is crucial as Nijjar's murder previously caused a diplomatic crisis between Canada and India, with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleging Indian government involvement, which India denied. The US indictment, however, focuses on the Bishnoi criminal network's role, also noting Bishnoi's past threats against Indian actor Salman Khan.
The US indictment reinforces long-standing allegations by Indian agencies that Lawrence Bishnoi continued running criminal operations from prison, despite his lawyer's claims of solitary confinement and CCTV surveillance. Yashowardhan Azad, former special director of the Intelligence Bureau, highlighted the severe implications for prison administration in India. He noted that mafia leaders often operate from jails, emphasizing the need to take away Bishnoi's prison facilities and fast-track his trial. Despite the serious allegations from the American indictment, there has been a notable lack of public response from India's Union Home Ministry or Ministry of External Affairs, creating a vacuum where foreign investigators are shaping the narrative.