The United States has formally charged jailed Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his close associate Satinderjeet Singh alias Goldy Brar for allegedly orchestrating the 2023 assassination of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, according to a federal indictment unsealed in Los Angeles.
Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023. US prosecutors allege that Bishnoi directed the operation from prison in India, while Goldy Brar coordinated the syndicate’s activities in North America. The indictment identifies Nijjar as “HSN” in court documents.
The charges are part of a broader US-led crackdown on transnational organised crime. Federal authorities announced charges against dozens of individuals allegedly linked to criminal syndicates involved in murder, extortion, drug trafficking and other serious offences across the United States, Canada and several other countries.
The FBI said Goldy Brar faces charges including racketeering conspiracy, extortion conspiracy and drug trafficking, while US authorities have also issued a federal arrest warrant against him. Bishnoi, who remains imprisoned in India, has been accused of running criminal operations through associates despite being behind bars.
Nijjar’s killing triggered a major diplomatic dispute between India and Canada after then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that Indian government agents could have been involved in the assassination. India strongly rejected those allegations as “absurd” and “motivated.” Notably, the US indictment does not accuse the Indian government of involvement in the murder and focuses instead on the alleged role of the Bishnoi criminal network.
The latest charges underscore growing international cooperation against organised crime networks operating across borders and mark a significant development in the ongoing investigation into one of the most high-profile killings involving the Khalistan issue in recent years.
