Major Crackdown on Indian Gangs in the US; 24 Accused Arrested; Punjab Police Officer Accused of Extortion Plot
Alleged attempt to extort $400,000 from an Indian family; SHO Gurinderjit Singh Nagra suspended; plans underway to bring him to the US for trial.
California/New Delhi: In a major operation targeting India-linked criminal gangs, the US Department of Justice has announced the arrest of 24 individuals and the filing of charges against them. Officials disclosed details of the crackdown during a press conference held in California.
Department of Justice official Bill Assely alleged that Gurinderjit Singh Nagra, a police officer from the Tanda area of Hoshiarpur district in Punjab, was allegedly involved in an extortion scheme alongside members of a criminal gang.
According to the charges, an Indian family residing in the US was threatened that if they did not pay $400,000 (approximately ₹3.8 crore), their relatives in Punjab would be implicated in a false murder case.
US officials stated that while a higher sum was initially demanded, the alleged deal was eventually settled at $400,000.
Officials noted that the police officer in question is not currently in US custody; however, legal proceedings against him will move forward, and efforts will be made to bring him to the US to face trial.
Meanwhile, there has been no official response from the Indian government regarding this matter so far. However, the Punjab Police has taken action by suspending Gurinderjit Singh Nagra from his position as SHO.
