Operation Hard Ball: US probe backs India’s stand on Nijjar killing, targets Bishnoi Network

New Delhi, July 9 (IANS) The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), along with other law enforcement agencies in the United States, recently launched a major operation and took more than 20 individuals into custody.

The crackdown, codenamed “Operation Hard Ball”, targeted the Lawrence Bishnoi network and was aimed at dismantling key factions of the transnational criminal syndicate allegedly involved in criminal activities affecting communities across North America and India. The action was linked to the network’s operations in the United States.

While the operation largely targeted the illegal actions of the network, one of the key findings was that there was nothing to link the Indian government with the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani operative.

Ties between India and Canada had strained considerably following the killing of Nijjar. Canada, under the leadership of Justin Trudeau, had blamed the Indian authorities for the killing of Nijjar, and this had strained ties between the two countries.

An official said that the latest action vindicates India’s position that there was nothing credible in the allegations made by Trudeau in 2023 that India had played a role in the murder of Nijjar.

Canada had in 2024 detained and charged 4 Indian nationals for Nijjar’s killing. These allegations that Canada made have been proven false with the latest action by the US.

Ties between India and Canada had deteriorated to such a level that both countries had expelled senior diplomatic staff, with Ottawa then stating that the Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Verma was himself a person of interest in the probe by the Canadian authorities.

The US has now charged Bishnoi and his aide Goldy Brar of ordering the hit on Nijjar. Another official said that this brings into question the probe conducted by the Canadian authorities back in 2024.

The US, while announcing the indictment, stated that there is nothing to back the claim that Indian government agents had masterminded the murder of Nijjar. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), which served as the primary co-lead alongside the FBI operation, said that the probe found no evidence that Indian officials were involved in the crimes.

The Deputy Commissioner of the RCMP, Lisa Moreland, when asked about Trudeau’s allegations against the Indian officials, said that the probe is ongoing and nothing has come out to link the Indian government.

Another official said that India had all along maintained that the killing of Nijjar was a result of a fallout of gang rivalry. This should end the blame game, and ties which have now improved with Canada should remain intact.

Following Trudeau’s exit and with Mark Carney taking over, ties between India and Canada have improved largely. Carney had visited India earlier this year, and both countries vowed to cooperate on several issues, the main being the one linked to the Khalistan movement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Canada later this year to sign a trade agreement.

Officials say that both the Indian and Canadian agencies are working closely on the Khalistan issue. Modi has successfully impressed upon Canada the threat that this movement poses. The security officials of both countries are working in tandem to resolve this issue. This includes cooperation on Intelligence sharing and also tracking down elements linked to this movement.

Canada has cracked down on the Khalistan movement and has introduced a slew of measures to curb its activities.

New Delhi has made it clear that the Khalistan movement is not just a threat in India, but also poses a massive risk to Canada too. For several years, the Khalistanis used Canadian soil to run their propaganda against India.

They have organised referendums and continued to push for the creation of a separate Khalistan nation carved out of Punjab. While the movement found space to operate in Canada for years, it has failed to gain significant traction in Punjab.

Despite repeated attempts by Khalistani elements to revive the movement with the backing of Pakistan’s ISI, they have achieved little success so far. The recent improvement in India-Canada ties and the resulting actions against such elements are expected to further weaken the morale of the Khalistanis, the officials said.

–IANS

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