Who is Goldy Brar? Inside the rise of the 'most wanted' gangster charged in Hardeep Singh Nijjar case

Notorious gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi and his "right hand" Satinderjeet Singh, better known as Goldy Brar, have been charged with allegedly orchestrating the assassination of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, as per an official statement issued by the Justice Department. The Sikh separatist was gunned down in British Columbia, Canada, three years ago.

According to federal prosecutors, 24 people linked to "India-based organised crime groups" were arrested in Operation Hard Ball, which was jointly carried out across the United States, Canada and Europe. The operation targeted violent crimes, extortion plots and international narcotics trafficking, and a total of 37 defendants have been charged in three federal indictments. Following this, the FBI has also announced a $50,000 bounty for Goldy. Here's all you need to know about the 'most wanted' criminal.

Who is Goldy Brar?

Satinderjeet Singh alias Goldy Brar is believed to be the top lieutenant of notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is currently lodged in jail in India. An equally notorious gangster in his own right, Brar is a designated terrorist in India. He has now made it onto the FBI's most wanted list and has a USD 50,000 bounty on his head. He is wanted for his alleged role in the Lawrence Bishnoi Organized Crime Group, which has been involved in a violent activity in Southern California, across the United States and Canada. The agency said he is believed to be based in the US and described him as the group's alleged North American leader.

According to the FBI notice, he is "CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS AND AN ESCAPE RISK".

Brar has dozens of criminal cases and FIRs against him, spanning both Indian states and international law enforcement agencies.

Notably, he is believed to be the mastermind behind the May 2022 murder of popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala. The Punjab Police named him in the primary FIR under IPC Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder), and various sections of the Arms Act. This case triggered an Interpol Red Corner notice against him.

How did he and Bishnoi meet?

The two met in Chandigarh in 2011, where they were studying together. Soon, they became best friends and eventually got involved in politics and criminal activities. In 2015, Bishnoi was arrested, but the two remained in touch.

According to reports, Brar's descent into crime was deeply personal. In 2020, Goldy Brar's cousin, Gurlal Brar, was murdered, allegedly by a rival gang. Seeking vengeance, he joined the Bishnoi criminal faction. He then carried out his first targeted hit on a rival politician in Faridkot to avenge his cousin, sealing his loyalty to Bishnoi.

While Bishnoi remained in prison, Brar, in the early 2020s, fled to Canada on a student visa, where he continued his criminal activities. In 2023, he allegedly was part of the plot to assassinate Sikh Separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

However, since 2025, Bishnoi and Brar have reportedly had a falling out. The reason behind this is two-fold: In late 2024, Lawrence Bishnoi's younger brother, Anmol Bishnoi, was detained by US authorities. Lawrence reportedly became furious at Brar for failing to properly arrange the required financial bail bonds. The strain worsened into a violent split following the murder of an associate named Sukhdeep Singh (alias Sippa) in Dubai, which led to a public exchange of retaliatory threats and audio leaks directly targeting each other.