US authorities allege links to Punjab-based organized crime network under RICO charges
LOS ANGELES: The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has obtained a federal arrest warrant for Nitish Kaushal, accusing him of conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act for his alleged involvement in a transnational organized crime syndicate with roots in Punjab, India.
According to a criminal complaint filed in the US District Court for the Central District of California, prosecutors allege Kaushal participated in violent criminal activities on behalf of the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria Organized Crime Group. The alleged offenses include kidnappings, assaults and other acts intended to strengthen the group’s criminal operations in California and elsewhere.
The charges stem from a federal grand jury indictment returned in Los Angeles on or around June 25, 2026, as part of “Operation Hard Ball,” a multinational law enforcement initiative involving authorities from the United States, Canada, Europe and India.
Operation targets international crime syndicates
Authorities said the operation targeted three India-based transnational criminal organizations operating across multiple countries. Prosecutors confirmed that 37 individuals were charged through three separate indictments, while approximately 24 suspects have already been arrested.
Court documents allege the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria network engaged in murder-for-hire, targeted killings, kidnappings, extortion, narcotics trafficking, firearms offenses and money laundering. Investigators claim the organization transported cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin across the United States and into Canada.
Prosecutors also linked Kaushal to a July 2024 kidnapping in Manteca, California. According to the indictment, the victim was allegedly abducted, assaulted and held for a $50,000 ransom before being released on the orders of the group’s leadership.
Leader accused of directing operations from prison
Federal prosecutors identified the alleged leader of the organization as Jagdeep Singh, also known as Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, who is currently imprisoned in India’s Silchar Central Jail under preventive detention laws.
Investigators allege Singh directed the syndicate’s international operations using smuggled mobile phones while incarcerated. Indian authorities have reportedly linked him to more than 120 criminal cases involving murder, extortion, arms trafficking and narcotics offenses.
US investigators further allege the organization has more than 1,000 members and associates worldwide, including over 100 operating in the United States. The investigation remains ongoing as law enforcement agencies continue efforts to locate additional suspects and dismantle the alleged criminal network.
