A comprehensive federal indictment unsealed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) has charged 33-year-old jailed Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his close associates with running a “transnational criminal syndicate.” Dubbed “Operation Hard Ball,” the major international crackdown led by the FBI, alongside authorities in Canada and Europe, has resulted in the indictment of 37 individuals and the arrest of 24 operatives across several countries.
Despite being incarcerated in India since 2015, U.S. prosecutors allege that Bishnoi has successfully orchestrated a global web of murder-for-hire plots, bulk narcotics trafficking, human smuggling, and violent extortion rings targeting the Indian diaspora. Investigators found that Bishnoi directly commanded operations from his prison cell using smuggled contraband cellphones and encrypted Voice-over-IP (VoIP) devices.
Key Criminal Acts Detailed in the U.S. Charges
1. The Assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar
For the first time, U.S. federal prosecutors have placed a criminal syndicate at the center of the high-profile June 18, 2023, killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar (identified as “H.S.N.” in court papers). The indictment alleges that Bishnoi and his North American ringleader, Satinderjeet Singh (alias Goldy Brar), ordered the hit, provided the shooters with Nijjar’s photographs and home addresses, and directed the logistics outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia.
2. Plotting Against Actor Salman Khan (“S.K.”)
The DoJ documents outline a multi-year campaign by Bishnoi to assassinate prominent Indian actor Salman Khan (referred to as “S.K.”). The gang allegedly intended to eliminate the high-profile celebrity primarily to expand their notoriety and instill fear across diaspora communities. The indictment links the gang to the April 2024 shooting incident outside Khan’s Mumbai residence.
3. The Murder of Sidhu Moosewala
The indictment formalizes international tracking of the May 29, 2022, assassination of popular Punjabi rapper and politician Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu (Sidhu Moosewala, referred to as “SSS”) in Mansa, Punjab. U.S. authorities noted that the gang openly boasted about ordering and directing the targeted murder in media interviews to recruit impressionable youth and enhance their global criminal footprint.
4. Extortion and Violence Against Gippy Grewal (“R.G.”)
U.S. investigators documented persistent extortion demands made against Punjabi singer-actor Rupinder Singh Grewal (Gippy Grewal, referred to as “R.G.”). Following a shooting at Grewal’s residence on November 24, 2023, the gang allegedly utilized encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal to issue death threats to Grewal and his manager, demanding millions of dollars between December 2025 and March 2026.
5. The Murder of Sunil Yadav in California
The reach of the gang inside the United States was highlighted by the December 23, 2024, targeted killing of rival drug smuggler Sunil Yadav in Stockton, California. Following the execution, North American commander Goldy Brar and European lieutenant Rohit Godara claimed responsibility on social media, issuing a chilling public warning: “Any corner of the world you reach, we will reach there.”
The Anatomy of the Global Hierarchy
The DoJ portrays the Bishnoi Organised Crime Group (OCG) as a heavily decentralized yet rigidly structured enterprise dependent on key regional commanders:
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Lawrence Bishnoi: The imprisoned global head directing operations from India via contraband communications.
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Satinderjeet Singh (alias Goldy Brar): The principal operational commander overseeing North American operations (the FBI has placed a $50,000 bounty on him).
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Rohit Godara: The primary operational ringleader managing extortion and execution cells across Europe.
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Sukhraj Singh Kang: The syndicate’s key India-based lieutenant coordinating domestic operations with international branches.
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Rajan Bhatti, Bhulwan, and Sumit: Named logistics and execution handlers tasked with collecting extortion payouts and managing local hit squads.
What Happens Next?
With the unsealing of the indictments in the Central District of California, U.S. law enforcement confirmed they are pursuing the remaining 10 fugitives scattered across the U.S., India, and Europe. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli stated that the United States intends to formally seek the extradition of Lawrence Bishnoi and other India-based co-conspirators to face trial in American federal courts, where they face statutory maximum penalties of life in prison.
