US confirms seeking Lawrence Bishnois extradition from India after indictment over Nijjar killing
Bishnoi, who has been imprisoned in India since 2015 and is currently lodged in a jail in Gujarat, was among the key accused named in a federal indictment unsealed in Los Angeles earlier this week.
PTC News Desk: The United States Department of Justice (DoJ) has confirmed that it plans to seek the extradition of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi from India, days after a federal indictment accused him of masterminding several crimes, including the killing of Canada-based Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, according to The Indian Express.
Ciaran McEvoy, Public Affairs Officer at the US Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, said the legal process to bring Bishnoi to the United States will be pursued, although it is expected to take time.
According to the indictment, Bishnoi ordered the assassination of Nijjar, a Canadian citizen who was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023.
McEvoy also said that members of the Bishnoi gang have not yet appeared before a US court because they are not currently under its jurisdiction. "Once they are transferred here, they will be," he said.
“Bishnoi himself remains incarcerated in India. We intend to seek his extradition to the United States. (Extradition is a lengthy legal process and often takes years to complete)," McEvoy said in an email.
Bishnoi, who has been imprisoned in India since 2015 and is currently lodged in a jail in Gujarat, was among the key accused named in a federal indictment unsealed in Los Angeles earlier this week.
Apart from Bishnoi and his close aide Satinderjeet Singh, the indictment names Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, who is currently lodged in a jail in Assam, and Canada-based Ravinder Singh Dhanda as alleged gang leaders.
McEvoy said the trial involving Dhanda gang members is scheduled to begin on August 31 in a Los Angeles court, while proceedings related to Bhagwanpuria gang members are listed for September 1. However, he indicated that these dates are likely to change.