US indictment echoes NIA's 2022 findings on Bishnoi's jail operations
The US Department of Justice's indictment of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi has validated the National Investigation Agency's (NIA) August 2022 FIR, which alleged that Bishnoi continued criminal activities from behind bars. The US order specifically notes that Bishnoi used VoIP devices and encrypted messaging services to orchestrate political killings and extortion while incarcerated.
NIA's 2022 case under UAPA
The NIA registered its FIR against nine accused, including Bishnoi, his brother Anmol Bishnoi, Kala Jathedi, and Goldy Brar, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The agency alleged a conspiracy to carry out terrorist activities in Delhi and other regions. According to the NIA, some gangsters were operating from prisons, while others were absconding in countries such as India, Canada, Pakistan, Malaysia, Australia, and the UAE.
US Department of Justice allegations
The US Department of Justice stated that Bishnoi directed his associates from jail using contraband cellphones and VoIP devices smuggled into his cell. His operations included political assassinations, murders, shootings, extortions, kidnappings, drug trafficking, and human smuggling. In December 2025 and January 2026, Bishnoi and his co-defendants attempted to extort $5 million from victims in Los Angeles and Thousand Oaks.
Bishnoi's incarceration and security concerns
Bishnoi has been in custody since 2017 for ordering murders and running extortion rackets. In 2021, he was transferred to Delhi's Tihar Jail under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act. Since 2023, he has been held in isolation at Gujarat's Sabarmati jail. The US allegations raise questions about how he accessed contraband cellphones, VoIP devices, and WhatsApp while in prison.
