Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles unseal racketeering charges that accuse Lawrence Bishnoi of ordering the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia.The filings, part of Operation Hard Ball, name three Indian organized crime groups and follow coordinated arrests across the US, Canada and Europe that include 24 suspects arrested in the USA and substantial narcotics and firearms seizures.Prosecutors allege Lawrence Bishnoi continued to direct murder, extortion and drug distribution from prison in India via contraband cellphones, and identify Satinderjit Singh Brar and Nikhil Gupta among indicted associates.RCMP Commissioner
Mike Duheme and US prosecutors say the multinational operation is ongoing, that extradition requests are likely, and that defendants are presumed innocent while further charges are expected.