Who is Nitish Kaushal? FBI nabs alleged Bhagwanpuria gang operative after placing him on Most Wanted list
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Who is Nitish Kaushal? FBI nabs alleged Bhagwanpuria gang operative after placing him on Most Wanted list")
Photograph: (X@FBIMostWanted)
The FBI arrested Nitish Kaushal in Vermont days after placing him on its Most Wanted list, alleging he carried out kidnappings and assaults for the Punjab-based Bhagwanpuria organised crime group.
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Thursday arrested Indian-origin Nitish Kaushal in Vermont, just days after placing him on its Most Wanted list as part of an investigation into transnational organised crime.
The agency said the arrest marked a significant step in its action against the Bhagwanpuria organised crime group.
According to the FBI, Kaushal is accused of involvement in offences including murder, kidnapping and drug trafficking in the United States. Investigators alleged that he committed violent crimes, including kidnappings and assaults, while working for the Bhagwanpuria network.
"Nitish Kaushal is wanted by the FBI for his alleged involvement in a transnational criminal organisation engaged in, among other things, acts involving murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, extortion, weapons trafficking, money laundering and human smuggling," the agency had said earlier this week.
The FBI had earlier warned that Kaushal should be treated as armed, dangerous and likely to flee.
Court records show that the US District Court for the Central District of California issued a federal arrest warrant against him on June 25 after prosecutors charged him with racketeering conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations (RICO) Act.
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Who is Nitish Kaushal?
Nitish Kaushal, who is also known by the alias Lala, is an Indian citizen born on June 15, 2000. The FBI alleged that he carried out violent operations, including kidnappings and assaults, for the Bhagwanpuria Organised Crime Group.
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According to the agency, the gang originated in Punjab before expanding its activities to California's Central District and other locations. The organisation has been linked to murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, extortion, weapons trafficking, money laundering and human smuggling.
The FBI placed Kaushal on its wanted list under Operation Hard Ball, an international campaign aimed at dismantling organised crime groups with links to India. Officials said the Bhagwanpuria network had established operations outside India, prompting coordinated action by law enforcement agencies.
His arrest came during Operation Hard Ball, under which authorities carried out coordinated raids in the United States, Canada and Europe as part of a broader effort to dismantle transnational criminal syndicates.
Earlier this month, US federal prosecutors charged 37 individuals, including jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his close associate Goldy Brar, with ordering the assassination of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. The list of accused also includes Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, Ravinder Singh Dhanda, Rohit Godara and several other alleged members of organised crime groups.
