US charges Lawrence Bishnoi and associate over Canadian Sikh leader’s death

The Department of Justice in the United States has formally charged Lawrence Bishnoi, a 33‑year‑old Indian gangster, and his aide Satinderjeet Singh, alias Goldy Barad, for their alleged role in the fatal shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023.

According to the indictment, Bishnoi ordered the hit while serving a sentence in an Indian jail, and Barad coordinated the operation from the United States and Canada. The complaint expressly excludes any participation by Indian government officials.

RCMP Deputy Commissioner Lisa Morland confirmed that the investigation found no evidence tying Indian state actors to the murder. She added that the Indian government has been cooperative throughout the probe.

The charges come after former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly accused India of orchestrating the killing, a claim that had led to a severe diplomatic fallout, including the removal of senior diplomats and suspension of trade talks. U.S. officials clarified that their allegations focus on an organized crime syndicate rather than a sovereign state, shifting the narrative surrounding the case.