Hoshiarpur SSP ordered the transfer of Tanda SHO Gurinderjit Singh Nagra after social media reports alleged his involvement in an FBI-probed extortion case. The SHO is accused of demanding $400,000 from a US-based family. A formal inquiry is on.
Hoshiarpur SHO Transferred Amid FBI Extortion Probe
The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Hoshiarpur has ordered the immediate transfer of Tanda Station House Officer (SHO) Gurinderjit Singh Nagra to the Police Lines, following viral social media reports alleging his involvement in a high-stakes extortion case under investigation by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The administrative action follows claims that the officer allegedly demanded approximately $400,000 from a US-based family.
The SSP confirmed that while the action is currently a precautionary measure, a formal fact-finding inquiry has been initiated. “For now, this matter has come to light based on the video and information circulating on social media. So far, no official confirmation or clear information has been received from the Government of India or the Punjab Government in this regard,” the Hoshiarpur SSP told ANI. To ensure a transparent probe, the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Jalandhar Range has entrusted the investigation to the Superintendent of Police (Investigation) of Jalandhar Rural. The inquiry officer has been tasked with examining all relevant facts and allegations, with the Punjab Police confirming that further legal action will be determined based on the findings of this report.
US Crackdown on India-Based Organised Crime
The allegations emerge alongside a broader crackdown by US authorities on India-based organised crime groups. On Wednesday, the FBI announced a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest of Satinderjeet Singh, alias Goldy Brar. Brar is one of 37 defendants named in three federal indictments as part of “Operation Hardball,” a major US Department of Justice initiative targeting transnational syndicates accused of violent crime, narcotics trafficking, and extortion. The indictments also include figures such as Lawrence Bishnoi and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, whose syndicates reportedly operate across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
Authorities have stated that the inquiry into the Tanda SHO will proceed independently as they work to verify the details circulating in the public domain. This comes as the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Wednesday announced a reward of up to USD 50,000 for information leading to the arrest of Satinderjeet Singh alias Goldy Brar, who is wanted for his alleged involvement in the Lawrence Bishnoi Organised Crime Group.
According to the US Department of Justice, Bishnoi and Brar were among 37 defendants charged in three federal indictments as part of “Operation Hard Ball”, a coordinated crackdown targeting India-based organised crime groups allegedly involved in violent crimes, extortion and international narcotics trafficking. The indictments also named other alleged organised crime figures, including Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and Ravinder Singh Dhanda. Prosecutors alleged that Dhanda operated an international drug distribution network, while the Bhagwanpuria gang functioned as a transnational criminal syndicate with members across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. (ANI)
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