US Charges Lawrence Bishnoi Gang in Nijjar Murder; 37 Indicted—July 10

US federal prosecutors unsealed three indictments on July 8, 2026, charging 37 defendants linked to three India-based crime syndicates under Operation Hard Ball. Lawrence Bishnoi, imprisoned in Gujarat since 2015, and his associate Satinderjeet Singh (Goldy Brar) face charges for ordering the June 2023 assassination of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia. The coordinated action across the US, Canada, Europe, and India marks the most significant law enforcement strike against transnational gangs operating in North America.

What Operation Hard Ball targets

Operation Hard Ball is a multinational law enforcement action targeting three separate organized crime groups. The Bishnoi gang faces charges for racketeering, extortion, drug trafficking, and targeted killings across North America and beyond. The indictments also target gangs led by Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and Ravinder Singh Dhanda. A total of 24 suspects were arrested across the US, Canada, and Europe, with 37 defendants charged in three separate indictments filed on July 1 and unsealed July 8.

The Nijjar assassination charges

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, a Canadian Sikh separatist leader and head of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023. Two masked gunmen fired into his vehicle in a busy parking lot. US prosecutors allege that Lawrence Bishnoi, 33, and Goldy Brar, 32, ordered the killing. Brar remains at large while Bishnoi is held at Sabarmati Central Jail in Gujarat.

Bishnoi’s operations from jail

Prosecutors allege that Bishnoi has coordinated his gang’s expansion into new countries from his jail cell using smuggled phones and voice-over-internet-protocol devices since 2015. US authorities have signaled they will seek Bishnoi’s extradition from India, though the final decision rests with Indian courts. India’s High Commissioner to Canada, Dinesh Patnaik, stated on July 9 that India will consider any formal extradition request but Indian courts will decide.

Canada clears India in Nijjar case

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) stated on July 8 that its investigation found no evidence of involvement by the Indian government in Nijjar’s assassination. This directly contradicts former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s 2023 allegations that Indian agents were responsible. The finding validates India’s long-standing position that Trudeau’s claims were unfounded and politically motivated. Relations between India and Canada have begun normalizing since Trudeau’s departure and Mark Carney’s appointment as Prime Minister.

Final Thoughts

The indictments validate India’s warnings about transnational gangs and clear New Delhi of Trudeau-era allegations. Bishnoi’s extradition remains uncertain, but the coordinated US-Canada action signals a shift in North American law enforcement focus on organized crime affecting the Indian diaspora.

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