The United States has formally accused Lawrence Bishnoi, the jailed Canadian gangster, of allegedly orchestrating the assassination of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, alongside another individual, Satinderjeet Singh alias Goldy Brar. It is known as ‘Operation Hard Ball’, a worldwide international operation to target transnational organised crime groups led by the FBI.
The coordinated operation, according to the US Department of Justice (DOJ), led to the arrest of 24 people in the United States, Canada and Europe and to the indictment of 37, in the course of three separate federal indictments. In addition, she has issued over 50 search warrants in a variety of jurisdictions, including 10 warrants for which fugitives of justice remain.
Bishnoi is alleged to have orchestrated the murder, extortion, drug traffic and kidnappings and run a criminal enterprise through the use of contraband communications in prison in India that coordinated the oversea kidnappings and smuggling of humans. According the indictment, Bishnoi and Goldy Brar are accused of killing Hardeep Singh Nijjar at a Sikh temple on June 18, 2023 in Surrey, British Columbia.
The DOJ also identified Rohit Godara as another of the alleged high-ranking operatives in the conspiracy behind the operations in Europe, and Goldy Brar was said to be in charge in North America.
Investigators say the syndicate intimidated and assaulted its members, members of the Indian community and used social media to solidify their criminal presence. The charges are coming as India continues to deal with international interest and questions regarding Nijjar’s death, which sparked a significant diplomatic spat between Canada and New Delhi after the former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that New Delhi has refused to acknowledge.