US Justice Department Confirms It Will Seek Extradition of Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi

The United States Department of Justice (DoJ) has confirmed that it will seek the extradition of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is currently incarcerated in India. This confirmation comes days after Bishnoi was indicted in a series of crimes, including the killing of Canada-based Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Arrested in 2014, Bishnoi is now lodged in a jail in Gujarat. Responding to queries from The Indian Express, Ciaran McEvoy, Public Affairs Officer at the US Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, stated in an email: “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.)”

Earlier this week, the US DoJ charged 37 people in an indictment as part of ‘Operation Hardball’ — a coordinated action by law enforcement agencies from the United States, Canada, and Europe. The operation led to the arrest of 24 individuals linked to three Indian crime syndicates with transnational networks. Bishnoi is alleged to be a key figure in these syndicates.

The DoJ has not provided a timeline for the extradition process, but legal experts note that such proceedings can be protracted, involving diplomatic negotiations and legal hurdles in both countries.