CBI Nets Lawrence Bishnoi Gangster Lakhvinder Kumar Deported From US

California: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has successfully coordinated the return of wanted fugitive Lakhvinder Kumar from the United States. The deportation of Lakhvinder Kumar, a notorious gangster associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi Gang, is a major victory in India's fight against organised crime. Notably, the gangster was wanted by Haryana Police in multiple criminal cases, including extortion, intimidation, illegal possession and use of firearms, and attempted murder.

The CBI, in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), made continuous efforts to bring Lakhvinder Kumar to justice. Following a request from the Haryana Police, the CBI secured a Red Notice against him through Interpol last year on October 26. Lakhvinder was subsequently arrested in California by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in June 2025 and deported to India on October 25.

According to the officials, upon arrival, Lakhvinder was taken into custody by a team of Haryana Police at Delhi Airport. The return of the notorious gangster showed India's effectiveness of international cooperation in bringing fugitives to justice and efforts to tackle transnational crime.

CBI Director Praveen Sood hailed the operation, stating, "The processing time for Interpol notices has significantly come down, from an average of 14 months to three months now." The CBI Director asserted that India has 338 extradition requests pending with various countries, with 35 fugitives brought back this year alone.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been vocal about the need to focus on extradition efforts, directing agencies to create dedicated units and prisons for fugitives in all states. The CBI's Global Operations Centre has played an important role in bringing 36 fugitives back to India this year, with 29 returned in 2023 and 30 in 2024.

Lakhvinder Kumar's deportation is part of an effort to bring notorious gangsters and economic offenders to justice. Earlier, the Indian agencies managed to extradite 26/11 accused Tahawwur Rana from the United States, registering a major diplomatic success. Further, the Indian agencies are also set to extradite fugitive Mehul Choksi. 

The CBI, Enforcement Directorate (ED), and National Investigation Agency (NIA) are working together to expedite extradition proceedings, targeting fugitives like Sanjay Bhandari, Nirav Modi, and Vijay Mallya.