'Working with our partners': India reacts to US charges against Lawrence Bishnoi

India on Tuesday responded to the United States' indictment of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his close associate Satinderjeet Singh, alias Goldy Brar, over the 2023 killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canad.

Addressing the weekly press briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi remains committed to combating transnational organised crime through close cooperation with international partners.

He said the ministry had taken note of the announcements made by the US Department of Justice regarding indictments and enforcement action against transnational organised criminal networks operating across multiple countries.

He reiterated that India views organised crime, terrorism, narco-trafficking, human trafficking, illegal firearms trafficking and related criminal networks as serious threats to societies.

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India-US cooperation on organised crime

Jaiswal said India and the United States share strong and growing cooperation in tackling terrorism and transnational organised crime. It noted that law enforcement agencies of both countries have worked closely together over the years and that this cooperation continues to deepen.

MEA added that its remarks were consistent with the recently unsealed US indictment, which attributes responsibility for the alleged plot to members of the Lawrence Bishnoi organised crime group.

It said India remains committed to working with partner countries through close law enforcement and security cooperation to combat terrorism and transnational organised crime.

US indictment in Nijjar case

The comments come after the US Department of Justice charged Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar with allegedly orchestrating the June 18, 2023, killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia.

According to a federal indictment filed in Los Angeles, Bishnoi allegedly directed the operation from prison using smuggled mobile phones, while Brar played a key role in planning the conspiracy.

The charges are part of "Operation Hard Ball", a coordinated law enforcement effort involving authorities in the United States, Canada and Spain. The operation resulted in the arrest of 24 individuals and charges against 37 defendants linked to transnational organised criminal networks.

Canadian authorities have meanwhile said that the US intends to seek the extradition of Bishnoi, who is currently lodged in an Indian prison.

The indictment marks a significant development in the investigation into Nijjar's killing and highlights expanding international cooperation against cross-border organised crime.