The United States has charged jailed Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his alleged North American associate Satinderjeet Singh, also known as Goldy Brar, with directing the 2023 killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.
The charges, announced in a federal indictment unsealed in Los Angeles, represent a significant development in the high-profile murder case that triggered a diplomatic dispute between Canada and India.
US alleges Bishnoi directed the murder from prison
According to the indictment, Bishnoi allegedly planned the operation while imprisoned in India, using smuggled mobile phones to communicate with members of his criminal network.
US prosecutors claim he supplied a co-conspirator with Nijjar’s photograph and multiple addresses before the fatal shooting outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023.
Authorities allege that Goldy Brar, described as Bishnoi’s longtime associate and the alleged North American coordinator of the Lawrence Bishnoi Organized Crime Group, managed operations linked to the conspiracy.
Indictment does not accuse Indian government
The US indictment does not allege that the Indian government directed, approved, or was aware of the killing.
During a press conference in Los Angeles, federal officials limited their comments to the alleged activities of the organized crime network and did not suggest any official involvement by New Delhi.
The case remains separate from Canada’s earlier allegations that Indian government agents were connected to Nijjar’s death.
Murder sparked diplomatic crisis
Nijjar’s killing became an international issue after then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that Canadian authorities were investigating credible allegations linking Indian government agents to the assassination.
India strongly rejected those allegations, describing them as baseless.
Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, advocated for the creation of Khalistan, an independent Sikh homeland. The Indian government had designated him as a terrorist before his death.
Charges part of broader organized crime investigation
US authorities said the indictment forms part of a wider joint investigation conducted with Canadian law enforcement targeting transnational organized crime.
The operation resulted in charges against 37 individuals allegedly connected to three India-based criminal organizations for offenses including racketeering, extortion, drug trafficking, and violent crime.
Officials said 24 of those accused have either been arrested or were already in custody.
The alleged gunmen involved in Nijjar’s killing were not identified as defendants in the US indictment and are referred to only as co-conspirators.
Canada continues separate investigation
Canadian police previously arrested four Indian nationals in May 2024 in connection with Nijjar’s murder.
Authorities have said they are also investigating whether those suspects had links to Indian government officials.
The US case does not address those allegations and focuses solely on the alleged criminal conspiracy involving the Bishnoi organization.
Canada-India ties gradually improving
Relations between Ottawa and New Delhi have shown signs of improvement under Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
The two countries have resumed high-level engagement and reopened discussions on a potential bilateral trade agreement.
However, some Sikh advocacy groups continue to criticize Canada’s approach, arguing that more action is needed to address concerns over the safety of Sikh Canadians and allegations of foreign interference.
The US indictment adds a significant legal dimension to one of the most closely watched international investigations involving organized crime, diplomacy, and cross-border security, while leaving unresolved the broader political questions that have shaped Canada-India relations since Nijjar’s death.
