'No Evidence Against Indian Officials in Nijjar Killing': Says Canadian Police After US Indicts Lawrence Bishnoi, Puts $50,000 Reward on Goldy

In a significant development for India-Canada relations, the Canadian Police on Wednesday stated that they have found no evidence linking Indian officials to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. This statement comes three years after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged an Indian official's involvement in the assassination, a claim that New Delhi has consistently denied.

This breakthrough follows a major joint operation, codenamed "Operation Hardball," conducted by law enforcement agencies in the United States and Canada. The announcement effectively shifts the focus toward organized crime syndicates, as the US recently indicted notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his former associate Goldy Brar in connection with the killing.

No Evidence Found Against Indian Officials

During a press briefing, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) addressed reporters and clarified that there is currently no evidence implicating Indian government officials in the case.

Reiterating this stance, a Canadian police official told CBCNN:

"There's an ongoing investigation in relation to this matter today. As stated in the press conference, there's no evidence to suggest, through this organized crime investigation and the charges in the indictment laid forward, that Indian officials were charged or involved in this investigation."

The US Indictment of Lawrence Bishnoi

On Tuesday, US authorities filed an indictment against gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi and Jagdeep Singh, also known as Jaggu Bhagwanpuria. This marks the first time that formal indictment proceedings have been initiated against these two individuals. According to the indictment, it was Bishnoi who directly ordered the killing of Nijjar.

These new details have surfaced amidst a massive global crackdown by federal authorities against the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and its members across the US, Canada, and Europe. Media reports in the US indicate that over two dozen members of the syndicate have been arrested, with at least seven individuals taken into custody in Stockton, California.

Last year, Canada officially designated the Lawrence Bishnoi gang as a foreign terrorist organization. Bishnoi and individuals swearing allegiance to his syndicate have been operating from Europe and Canada, routinely threatening business owners both within India and overseas.

Currently, Lawrence Bishnoi is lodged in a jail in Gujarat, India. His brother, Anmol Bishnoi, was deported from the US last year and is named as an accused in a firing incident outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan's residence. In 2023, India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) officially took over the investigations into cases related to these gangsters.

FBI Announces Reward for Goldy Brar

Amid these developments, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Wednesday announced a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest of Satinderjeet Singh, popularly known as Goldy Brar. Brar is heavily wanted for his leadership role in the organized crime network run by Lawrence Bishnoi.

According to US federal agencies, the syndicate is actively involved in orchestrating violence across both the United States and Canada.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the FBI stated: "The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest of Satinderjeet Singh, wanted for his alleged involvement in the Lawrence Bishnoi organised crime group, which is allegedly engaged in a variety of violent acts in Southern California, and across the United States and Canada."
 

Also Read: FBI Announces $50,000 Reward For Information on 'Most Wanted' Gangster Goldy Brar