The United States has announced criminal charges against Lawrence Bishnoi, the jailed leader of an Indian criminal group, alleging he played a role in the 2023 killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. The allegations relate to a transnational conspiracy, with prosecutors saying Bishnoi and his alleged associate, Satinderjeet Singh, orchestrate the assassination of Nijjar, who was fatally shot outside a temple in June 2023. The killing became a focal point in a wider diplomatic dispute between Canada and India.
While Bishnoi is in custody in India, prosecutors say Singh has not been apprehended. Multiple outlets report that the US plans to seek Bishnoi’s extradition as the case proceeds. In parallel, reporting in Canada indicates that Canadian police have not found evidence linking India’s government to the organized-crime allegations in the case, and this is cited as consistent with India’s position. The US case nonetheless keeps attention on alleged cross-border connections connected to Nijjar’s death.
