US charges Indian crime leader in Sikh activist’s assassination

US indicts Indian crime boss, links him to Sikh leader’s killing that strained India-Canada relations.Authorities in the United States have announced charges against the leader of an Indian criminal group in connection with the political assassination of a prominent Sikh leader in Canada – a high-profile killing that plunged relations between Ottawa and New Delhi into crisis.The charges were part of a massive law enforcement operation involving agencies across the US, Canada and Europe that swept up 37 defendants who are allegedly part of three Indian international crime syndicates tied to kidnappings, racketeering, extortion, firearms dealing, drug trafficking and murder, US Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli announced at a news conference on Tuesday.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Canada murders spark calls to label India’s Bishnoi gang a ‘terror’ grouplist 2 of 3California bill against foreign hits on diaspora splits Indian Americanslist 3 of 3Canada labels India’s Bishnoi gang as ‘terrorist’ organisationend of listHe spoke alongside officials with the Los Angeles Police Department, the FBI and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Authorities are still searching for seven fugitives in the US, two in India and one in Europe.The groups have “have fuelled violence, fear and instability within the East Indian communities throughout California and abroad”, said Patrick Grandy, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office.Lawrence Bishnoi, 33, and his childhood friend Satinderjeet Singh are accused of orchestrating the assassination of a well-known Sikh independence activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was fatally shot outside of a temple where he served as president in 2023. The killing sparked tensions between the Canadian and Indian governments, after then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that there were “credible allegations” that the Indian government was involved in Nijjar’s death. Bishnoi is in custody, but Singh has not been apprehended.