The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has formally charged gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar with orchestrating the assassination of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia, Canada, three years ago. The announcement came as federal prosecutors revealed that 24 individuals linked to India-based organized crime groups have been arrested in an operation named "Operation Hard Ball," conducted across the United States, Canada, and Europe. A total of 37 defendants have been charged in three federal indictments.
Details of the Charges
According to a statement from the US Attorney's Office, Bishnoi and Brar are charged with ordering the assassination of Nijjar, which occurred on June 18, 2023, when two gunmen shot him as he left a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia. The indictment alleges that the criminal enterprise "routinely targeted prominent religious, social, and political leaders with violence, and used these high-profile acts to terrorise and extort members of the community."
First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli stated that federal agencies targeted three transnational syndicates in the operation. The indictment also references a separate incident in November 2023, when Bishnoi claimed responsibility for a shooting at the Vancouver residence of a prominent Indian actor and singer, warning in Punjabi on Facebook: "no one can save you from us."
Additional Defendants and Allegations
Federal prosecutors have also leveled charges against gangsters Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and Ravinder Singh Dhanda in separate cases. The indictment alleges that Dhanda operated a drug distribution network that provided international smuggling services for bulk quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine to drug trafficking organizations in the US, Canada, and Mexico. The Bhagwanpuria gang is described as a transnational criminal syndicate headquartered in India, with members across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
As part of Operation Hard Ball, officials seized cocaine and firearms. The DOJ emphasized that "an indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law."
Diplomatic Fallout and Improved Relations
Following Nijjar's killing, then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged on September 18, 2023, that Canada had "credible intelligence" linking Indian agents to the murder. In October 2024, he stated that police had "clear and compelling evidence" to back the allegations. India rejected these claims, leading to a diplomatic standoff where both countries expelled six diplomats each in a tit-for-tat move.
Relations have since improved under Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, with Ottawa signaling that it no longer links India to criminal activities on Canadian soil. The DOJ's charges against Bishnoi and Brar mark a significant development in the international investigation into Nijjar's murder and broader organized crime networks.
