New Delhi: Indian-origin gangster Nitish Kaushal, a member of Jaggu Bhagwanpuria organized crime group, who was wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), has been arrested in the United States. He has been accused of being part of a transnational criminal organisation and carrying out kidnappings and assaults.
Kaushal was arrested two days after FBI put him on its “Wanted” list. A federal arrest warrant was issued against him on June 25 by the US District Court for the central district of California after he was charged with conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
Kaushal, alias Lala, is an Indian national born on June 15, 2020. He allegedly carried out acts of violence, including, but not limited to kidnappings and assaults. He did so on behalf of the Bhagwanpuria Organized Crime Group that originated in Punjab and operated in the central district of California and elsewhere, the FBI noted.
According to the agency, the gang has been engaged in murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, extortion, weapons trafficking, money laundering, and human smuggling, as reported by NDTV.
The FBI shared an update on the arrest early on Friday, saying that he has been arrested in Vermont and calling for help to “locate other fugitives wanted for committing crimes related to criminal enterprise investigations.”
Operations are being conducted by the FBI against organised crime syndicates of India-origin under Operation Hard Ball. It was under this operation that Nitish Kaushal was declared “Wanted.”
Satinderjeet Singh Brar alias Goldy Brar has also been added to FBI’s “Wanted” list for his alleged involvement in the Lawrence Bishnoi Organised Crime Group and carrying out violence in southern California, and across the US and Canada.
“These acts include assassinations of political and religious figures, shootings, murders, kidnappings, extortions, assaults, and the trafficking of narcotics and weapons,” the FBI notice read.
Singh, a native of Punjab, is based in the US and is the alleged leader of the group in North America. On July 1, 2026, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Singh in the United States District Court, central district of California, Los Angeles, California, after he was charged with Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Interfere and Attempted Interference with Commerce by Extortion, and Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances.
A total of 37 individuals, including jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his close aide Satinderjeet Singh, have been charged in three separate federal indictments filed in US courts. Other individuals named in the indictments include gangsters Rohit Godara, Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, Ravinder Singh Dhanda, and several other alleged members of organised crime syndicates.
The FBI has offered a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest of Singh.
