Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles have charged Lawrence Bishnoi, a prominent leader of the Indian organized crime group “Bishnoi,” and eight associates with the 2023 assassination of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. The indictment claims Bishnoi ordered Nijjar’s killing, who was a political dissident advocating for a Sikh homeland called “Khalistan.” Despite being imprisoned in India since 2015, Bishnoi allegedly continued to lead a global crime syndicate, orchestrating various crimes from his jail cell. His childhood friend, Satinderjit Singh Brar, is accused of managing the group’s North American operations and also faces charges. The indictment follows allegations that the Indian government was involved in Nijjar’s assassination and a failed attempt on another Sikh separatist, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, in New York. An Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to kill Pannun, with a former Indian official implicated but still at large.
QUESTION: How might international relations be affected if governments are found to be involved in criminal activities like political assassinations?
Prosecutors in LA announce charges against Indian syndicate “Bishnoi”
