The Canadian government on Monday declared dreaded gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and his criminal network, implicated in murder, extortion, arms and drug trafficking both in India and internationally, a "terrorist entity" for creating a "climate of fear and intimidation".
"Acts of violence and terror have no place in Canada, especially those that target specific communities to create a climate of fear and intimidation. That is why the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, minister of public safety, announced today (Monday) that the government of Canada has listed the Bishnoi Gang as a terrorist entity under the criminal code,” a government statement said.
In October last year, India and Canada expelled six of each other’s diplomats in tit-for-tat moves after Ottawa accused Indian government agents of links to the 2023 murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar near Vancouver. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, which is investigating the case, accused Indian government agents of links to an organised crime syndicate called the "Bishnoi group".
Bishnoi has been in jail in India since 2014, but the cycle of violence and retribution the gangster has unleashed with impunity has triggered withering questions on why the security agencies in India have failed to fathom how he runs his crime network. He is in Sabarmati jail in Gujarat.
The "terror entity" designation allows Canada to seize assets linked to the Bishnoi gang within the country, including money, vehicles and property. It also provides law enforcement with enhanced powers to pursue and prosecute gang members for a range of offences, especially those connected to the financing of terrorist activities.
"The Bishnoi Gang is a transnational criminal organisation operating primarily out of India. They have a presence in Canada and are active in areas with significant diaspora communities. The Bishnoi Gang engages in murder, shootings and arson, and generates terror through extortion and intimidation. They create a climate of insecurity in these communities by targeting them, their prominent community members, businesses, and cultural figures," the statement said.
“Specific communities have been targeted for terror, violence and intimidation by the Bishnoi Gang. Listing this group of criminal terrorists gives us more powerful and effective tools to confront and put a stop to their crimes."
With over two dozen criminal cases against him, including murder, extortion and arms smuggling, Bishnoi is said to be the leader of a 700-member gang that operates mostly in north India, especially in Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan. The gang has international connections, especially in Canada and the US.
Last year, the Bishnoi-Brar gang shot to limelight after they claimed responsibility for the killing of NCP leader Baba Siddique.