FBI arrests 8 including India's 'MOST WANTED' Khalistani terrorist, in gang-kidnapping case—Who is he
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "FBI arrests 8 including India's 'MOST WANTED' Khalistani terrorist, in gang-kidnapping case—Who is he")
Representational Image Photograph: (Pexels)
NIA wanted gangster Pavittar Singh Batala is reportedly linked with the banned terror outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), and is wanted in India for his alleged involvement in several terror activities.
As many as eight Indian-origin people, including Pavittar Singh Batala, a gangster from Punjab wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), have been arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the San Joaquin County of the California, USA, in connection with a gang-related kidnapping case, said officials. The sheriff's office said the arrests were made from different parts of the US on Saturday in a case related to kidnapping and torture in San Joaquin County.
"On July 11, 2025, the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office AGNET Unit-alongside the Stockton Police Department SWAT Team, Manteca Police Department SWAT Team, Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office SWAT Team, and the FBI SWAT Team-executed five coordinated search warrants across San Joaquin County as part of a gang-related kidnapping and torture investigation," the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office said on Saturday, NDTV reported.
NIA wanted gangster Pavittar Singh Batala is reportedly linked with the banned terror outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), and is wanted in India for his alleged involvement in several terror activities. Other than Batala, other suspects include Amritpal Singh, Dilpreet Singh, Arshpreet Singh, Manpreet Randhawa, Gurtaj Singh, Sarabjit Singh, and Vishal.
What charges are lodged against the accused?
All the accused were charged with multiple serious offences, including kidnapping, torture, unlawful confinement, witness intimidation, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, and issuing criminal threats. They were taken into custody and lodged at the San Joaquin County Jail. Additional charges included possession of a machine gun, an unregistered loaded handgun, and the manufacture and distribution of high-capacity magazines and a short-barrel rifle.
During the raids, authorities reportedly confiscated at least six firearms, among them a fully automatic Glock, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, several high-capacity magazines, and more than $15,000 in cash. The office of the sheriff also shared a video of the arrests, identifying Pavittar Singh as the primary suspect, but the clip did not give any further details about the case.
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According to the sheriff's office, the arrests were part of the FBI’s "Summer Heat" initiative, a nationwide campaign aimed at cracking down on violent offenders and gang members who pose threats to communities across the United States.
"This takedown was part of the FBI’s Summer Heat initiative, a nationwide effort targeting violent offenders and gang members who terrorise our communities. Summer Heat reflects Director Patel’s commitment to the American people to crush crime and restore safety in neighbourhoods across the country," the statement added, as per India TV.
