Delhi, New Delhi: Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree announced Monday night that Canada has designated mob leader Lawrence Bishnoi and his group as a “terrorist entity” under the Criminal Code. They have been connected to extortion, murder, and the trafficking of weapons and drugs both domestically and internationally.
This gives Canadian law enforcement additional (and sharper) teeth to prosecute gang members for a variety of offenses, including those related to financing terrorist activities, by allowing any Bishnoi gang asset in that nation, including cash, vehicles, and property, to be frozen or seized.
Additionally, it gives immigration officers the authority to refuse suspected gang members entry into Canada.
“Acts of violence and terror have no place in Canada, especially those that target specific communities to create a climate of fear and intimidation,” stated a statement from the government.
Knowingly dealing with property owned or controlled by the Bishnoi gang is now illegal under Canadian law for both Canadian citizens and foreign nationals. Giving property, either directly or indirectly, knowing that it would be used by or benefit the gang is likewise illegal.
The notification, which comes a month after Canadian MP Frank Caputo pushed Anandasangaree to label Bishnoi a “terrorist,” is another step in mending India-Canada ties following a full-scale diplomatic battle in the last months of Justin Trudeau’s prime ministership.
In an email to Anandasangaree, Caputo, the shadow public safety minister, exposed Bishnoi’s extensive criminal network and claimed that it was responsible for extortion and assassinations of Canadians, citing “political, religious, and ideological reasons” for its unlawful actions.
“The actions of the Bishnoi gang establish the foundation for its designation as a terrorist organization. In the letter posted on X, he stated, “As you are aware, they have claimed responsibility for a great deal of violence both in Canada and overseas.”
Four other Canadian politicians, including Patrick Brown, the mayor of Brampton, which is home to around 20% of the country’s Sikh community, also made requests, he added.
The removal of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang has also been demanded by Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke, Premier David Eby of British Columbia, and Danielle Smith of Alberta.
The Bishnoi gang has been repeatedly identified by the Canadian government as one of the nation’s most dangerous criminal syndicates, and it has also been connected to the trafficking of weapons and drugs.
Since the high-profile murder of Punjabi artist Sidhu Moose Wala in May 2022, Lawrence Bishnoi and his group of crooks and assassins have been connected to a number of homicides. Bishnoi broke off his relationship with Goldy Brar, an ally who oversaw his operations in Canada, in June.
The killings of Rajput leader Sukhdev Gogamedi in December 2023 and Maharashtra politician Baba Siddique in October 2024 are on that list, as is the firing outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s residence in April 2025, which was targeted because of the 1999 Blackbuck case.
However, the gang’s worldwide “credentials” were solidified in June 2023 with the murder of pro-Khalistani politician Hardeep Nijjar. Trudeau had asserted, without evidence, that the Indian government was complicit in the murder of Nijjar, a Canadian national.
India denounced the accusations, accusing Trudeau of caving in to the vote banks of Khalistani terrorists.
As a result, India-Canada relations fell precipitously. But they have been gradually getting better ever since Trudeau was ousted and Mark Carney was named as his successor.
The first diplomatic posting to Delhi after top officials on both sides were removed following the dispute with Trudeau was made by Ottawa on August 1.
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