'Most wanted': FBI puts $50,000 bounty on Lawrence Bishnoi aide Goldy Brar after charging him in Hardeep Nijjar murder case
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "'Most wanted': FBI puts $50,000 bounty on Lawrence Bishnoi aide Goldy Brar after charging him in Hardeep Nijjar murder case")
FBI wanted poster for Satinderjeet Singh alias Goldy Brar (L) Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar (R) Photograph: (Combination created using images from FBI and Wikipedia)
The FBI has announced a bounty of USD 50k on Goldy Brar, describing him as the alleged North American leader of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The announcement comes just hours after US charged Brar and Bishnoi in connection with the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has announced a reward of up to USD 50,000 for information leading to the arrest of Satinderjeet Singh, better known as Goldy Brar, in a fresh escalation of its crackdown on the Lawrence Bishnoi organised crime network. In a post on its 'Most Wanted' X handle on Wednesday (Jul 8), the FBI said Brar is wanted for his alleged role in Lawrence Bishnoi Organized Crime Group that has been involved in 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.
A federal arrest warrant was issued on July 1 in the US District Court for the Central District of California, Los Angeles. He has been charged with "Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Conspiracy; Conspiracy to Interfere and Attempted Interference with Commerce by Extortion; and Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances," the federal agency said in a statement.
Operation Hard Ball
The reward comes just hours after US federal prosecutors charged Bishnoi and Brar in connection with the assassination of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023.
According to the US Department of Justice, Bishnoi and Brar were among 37 defendants named in three federal indictments under "Operation Hard Ball", a coordinated sweep targeting India-based organised crime groups accused of violent crimes, extortion and international drug trafficking.
Trending Stories
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
Prosecutors allege that Bishnoi and Brar ordered Nijjar's killing. The Khalistani leader was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in Surrey by two gunmen, according to the indictments.
Also read | India's big diplomatic win: Canada says 'no evidence' linking New Delhi to Nijjar killing
Other accused in the Nijjar killing
The filings also name other alleged gang figures, including Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and Ravinder Singh Dhanda. Prosecutors say Dhanda ran an international drug network, while the Bhagwanpuria operated as a transnational criminal syndicate with links across the US, Canada, the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
The Justice Department was careful to note that an indictment is only an allegation and that every defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
