The United States has confirmed that it intends to seek the extradition of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi following his indictment in a sweeping transnational organised crime case that includes allegations related to the 2023 killing of Canada-based Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The move marks the next legal step after American prosecutors unveiled charges against Bishnoi and several alleged associates as part of a multinational crackdown on organised crime networks operating across North America and beyond.
Bishnoi, who has been in custody in India since 2014 and is currently lodged in a Gujarat prison, has been named in a nine-count federal indictment returned by a grand jury in Los Angeles. According to the US Department of Justice (DoJ), he allegedly directed a global criminal syndicate involved in murder, extortion, drug trafficking, kidnapping and other organised crimes while operating from inside prison through smuggled communication devices. The indictment also accuses Bishnoi and his close associate Satinderjeet Singh alias Goldy Brar of orchestrating Nijjar's assassination in Surrey, British Columbia, in June 2023.
Responding to media queries, the US Attorney's Office for the Central District of California confirmed that Washington plans to initiate extradition proceedings against Bishnoi. However, officials acknowledged that extradition is a lengthy legal process that often takes several years before reaching a conclusion.
The announcement follows Operation Hard Ball, a coordinated law enforcement operation involving authorities from the United States, Canada and Europe. The operation resulted in charges against 37 individuals and the arrest of 24 suspects allegedly linked to three India-origin organised crime syndicates. Besides Bishnoi and Goldy Brar, the indictment also names Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, currently imprisoned in Assam, and Canada-based Ravinder Singh Dhanda as leaders of separate criminal networks accused of operating across multiple countries.
The FBI has separately announced a reward of $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and extradition of Goldy Brar, who remains at large and is described by US investigators as the Bishnoi syndicate's North American operations chief.
Despite Washington's stated intention, Bishnoi's transfer to the US is unlikely to happen anytime soon. Extradition between India and the United States is governed by the 1997 India-US Extradition Treaty and India's Extradition Act, 1962. Since Bishnoi remains in judicial custody and faces numerous criminal cases in Indian courts—including charges related to murder, extortion and organised crime—the Indian government can legally insist that domestic proceedings conclude before any extradition request is acted upon. Under the treaty framework, a formal request from the US would first be routed through diplomatic channels to India's Ministry of External Affairs before being examined in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs and investigative agencies. The final decision would also be subject to judicial scrutiny in India.
US prosecutors have yet to formally submit an extradition request. Once prepared by the Department of Justice, it is expected to be transmitted through the US State Department to Indian authorities for consideration under the bilateral treaty and domestic law.
Meanwhile, proceedings in the wider US case are moving ahead. Prosecutors said members allegedly linked to the Dhanda network are currently scheduled to appear before a federal court in Los Angeles on August 31, while those associated with the Bhagwanpuria group are due a day later. However, officials indicated that both hearings are likely to be postponed. They also clarified that Bishnoi and other accused currently outside US jurisdiction have not yet been arraigned and will face formal court proceedings only if they are transferred to American custody.