What happened
The United States Department of Justice has indicted three Punjab-linked transnational organised crime syndicates for alleged extortion, racketeering, murders-for-hire, drug trafficking, and other violent crimes. The indictment most prominently alleges that Lawrence Bishnoi and associate Satinderjeet Singh (Goldy Brar) ordered the 2023 killing of pro-Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia.
The U.S. says Bishnoi is jailed in Ahmedabad, India, while Brar is a fugitive in the United States. The announcement says dozens of people have been charged, arrests have been made across multiple countries, and additional fugitives are being sought.
The three alleged syndicates
The indictment identifies three networks. First is the Lawrence Bishnoi Organised Crime Group, described as headquartered in India and active across Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Australia. The U.S. description says Bishnoi continued to lead while incarcerated, Brar handled North American operations, and Rohit Godara oversaw Europe.
Second is a separate network led by Jagtar Singh (Jaggu Bhagwanpuria), who is said to be imprisoned in Assam and to command more than 1,000 members across countries. The current note also describes Bhagwanpuria as a former aide of Bishnoi.
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