India and Canada recently expelled six diplomats each in response to accusations by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) that Indian government agents were involved in the 2023 murder of a Sikh separatist leader near Vancouver. The RCMP claims that the Indian government agents are linked to an organized crime group called the “Bishnoi group”. This group is headed by Lawrence Bishnoi, who is currently in jail and facing numerous charges including murder and extortion. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) in India has accused Bishnoi of running a transnational crime syndicate and alleges that he operates his criminal activities from jails in different states and even in other countries like Canada.
Lawrence Bishnoi, a 31-year-old law graduate, has been accused of running a criminal syndicate that is involved in various illegal activities. He has denied being anti-national or supporting the demand for an independent Sikh state known as Khalistan. Bishnoi is currently incarcerated at Sabarmati central jail in Gujarat and has been moved between different prisons for safety reasons. Canada has not specified the charges against Bishnoi but has accused his organized crime group of targeting individuals who support Khalistan and claimed that Indian agents are linked to the group.
Bishnoi and his associates are facing multiple charges including murder, extortion, and terror-related crimes. The NIA has alleged that they are planning to carry out targeted killings of well-known individuals such as social and religious leaders, movie stars, singers, and businessmen. Bishnoi has been named as a suspect in high-profile cases including the killing of a Punjabi rapper in 2022 and threats against Bollywood actor Salman Khan. There have been multiple incidents where individuals claiming to be affiliated with Bishnoi’s group have carried out attacks or made threats against prominent figures.
Lawyer Rajani, who represents Bishnoi, stated that her client is facing about 40 cases of murder, extortion, and terror-related charges dating back to 2012. She mentioned that Bishnoi has denied the allegations and many of the trials are yet to begin. The situation between India and Canada escalated due to the accusations made by the RCMP against Indian government agents. India has rejected these accusations as baseless and preposterous. The foreign ministry in India did not respond to queries regarding the allegations of links between government officials and the Bishnoi group.
The tensions between India and Canada have resulted in the expulsion of diplomats from both countries, as a tit-for-tat response to the accusations surrounding the murder of a Sikh separatist leader. Lawrence Bishnoi, the alleged leader of the Bishnoi group, is currently in jail facing multiple charges of running a criminal syndicate involved in various illegal activities. The NIA in India has accused him of planning targeted killings of prominent individuals and operating his criminal empire from jails in different states and countries like Canada. The situation remains tense as both countries navigate the fallout from these accusations and expulsions.
