US and Canadian authorities announced on Tuesday that they have charged 37 operatives linked to a notorious Indian criminal group, dismantling its leadership in a multiyear investigation called Operation Hard Ball. The charges include murder-for-hire plots, shootings, extortion, and drug trafficking, with the highest-profile indictment targeting Lawrence Bishnoi, the imprisoned head of an Indian criminal gang, for orchestrating the assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023.
Details of the Indictment
According to the FBI and Canada's Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Bishnoi directed the operation from a Delhi prison cell using smuggled mobile phones. He allegedly provided a co-conspirator with photos of Nijjar and his known addresses to facilitate the killing. Satinderjeet Singh, known as Goldy Brar, a childhood friend of Bishnoi, was also charged for his role in the murder and is now a fugitive in the US. Authorities are still searching for seven fugitives in the US, two in India, and one in Europe.
Impact on Canada-India Relations
The brazen daylight shooting of Nijjar outside a temple in Canada in June 2023 strained diplomatic relations between Canada and India. Then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau cited credible allegations of Indian government involvement in Nijjar's death. India denied any role, but tensions escalated, leading to the expulsion of diplomats from both countries. In May 2025, four Indian nationals were charged with murder and conspiracy in connection with Nijjar's killing, a case now before the British Columbia Supreme Court.
Broader Criminal Network
Michael Duheme, RCMP commissioner, described Bishnoi and his co-conspirators as some of the most cruel and wide-reaching criminals, involved in murder, kidnapping, extortion, and arson, all fueled by a sprawling drug-trafficking network. As part of Operation Hard Ball, police seized approximately 1,000 kg of cocaine and a dozen firearms. The indictment also links Bishnoi to a shooting at the Vancouver home of a prominent Indian actor and singer, with a Facebook post warning in Punjabi that no one can save you from us.
Reactions from Activists and Officials
Moninder Singh, a friend of Nijjar and fellow activist who has faced repeated death threats, said the charges sent a strong message about public safety but criticized the omission of state-level actors like India from the investigation. He stated, The omission of state-level actors like India suggests that bilateral trade deals and geopolitical partnerships are being prioritised over the uniform protection of Canadian citizens from foreign interference and transnational repression. He added that he had received four warnings of imminent assassination by India and its proxies from Canadian police, the most recent including his wife and children.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who US authorities say was the target of a separate murder plot, said the charges exposed the lethal transnational assassination apparatus operated by the Indian government. In his case, the US Department of Justice charged Indian intelligence officer Vikash Yadav, whom Delhi claims they cannot locate.
Operation Hard Ball Scope
The investigation also named two other criminal organizations with members in the US, New Zealand, Australia, Portugal, and the UK. Some defendants are accused of leveraging corrupt local authorities in India to persecute rivals or those cooperating with law enforcement. At least one defendant organized criminal activities while detained at a US immigration and customs enforcement facility, though it is unclear how he communicated undetected.
Canada's Justice Minister Sean Fraser called the arrests a potential inflection point for communities grappling with a spike in shootings and violent extortions, saying, The magnitude of today's news cannot be overstated. Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke noted that the city felt under siege, with local police reporting 131 extortion reports in 2026, 20 related shots fired, and two arsons.
