BURST
A day after Premier David Eby called on the federal government to classify India’s Bishnoi gang as a terrorist group, it’s unclear how that might help police investigating a series of extortions targeting B.C.’s South Asian community.
The announcement, made Tuesday, caught some by surprise, as police have been reluctant to comment on a link between the extortions and the gang, whose founder, Lawrence Bishnoi, has been locked in an Indian prison since 2014.
B.C. Opposition public safety critic Elenore Sturko said she was unaware police had “definitively” linked the Bishnoi gang to any extortion cases and questioned the timing of the premier’s comments.
“The police haven’t come out and told my community that this gang is responsible for these incidents,” she said, calling the announcement “dramatic” and “headline-grabbing.”
Former B.C. solicitor general Kash Heed accused Eby of “raising Bishnoi’s profile” by linking him to terrorism: “It’s a political response when what is needed is an operational response.”
He said that while Bishnoi’s name has certainly been mentioned by extortionists in their threats, it’s unclear if the gang is behind the extortions, or if it’s simply being invoked as an intimidation tactic.
Here’s what we know about the Bishnoi gang and its links to B.C.:
What is the Bishnoi gang?
The Bishnoi gang is an organized crime group in northern India that appears to have extended its influence to North America in recent years. Indian media have reported that extortion is a significant source of the gang’s income.
While founder Bishnoi has been incarcerated for the last decade, he appears to have been able to maintain communication with his associates.
In 2022, Bishnoi’s associate Goldy Brar, who was based in Canada, claimed responsibility for the killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala, who was shot in India but also had ties to Canada. Brar remains at large.
How is the Bishnoi gang linked to the extortions happening in B.C.?
B.C. police have been hesitant to reveal any evidence tying the Bishnoi gang to the extortions happening in Surrey.
While police have received dozens of extortion reports since early 2023, there seems to be a recent uptick in the number of people who have received letters, phone calls and social-media messages demanding money under threat of violence.
Several houses and businesses in Surrey have also been shot up in recent weeks in cases linked to extortion efforts.
In his announcement Tuesday, Eby said the gang had been linked to some extortions and other crimes against South Asian community members in B.C., Alberta and Ontario, but didn’t provide specific details.
In December 2023, police in Abbotsford said they were investigating extortions targeting affluent members of the South Asian community. A leaked police information bulletin suggested they may be linked to the Bishnoi gang, but police later said that hadn’t been confirmed.
Heed suggested the extortion attempts in Abbotsford at that time, which involved a flyer filled with spelling mistakes, were distributed by a “copycat” opportunist.
Other extortion attempts, some of which have successfully netted millions of dollars, are more sophisticated and seem to be originating from outside Canada, he said. The extortionists have information about victim’s family members in India, as well as their lives and businesses. They often ask for money to be wired to banks in India.
Even so, Heed said he firmly believes Bishnoi is little more than a “thug” and calling him a terrorist only serves to amplify his reputation and increase fear.
How would classifying the Bishnoi gang as a terrorist group help B.C. police?
Eby said he plans to write to the federal government this week to request the terrorist listing for the Bishnoi gang.
“This is a serious step,” he said. “It gives police significant investigative tools. We don’t make this recommendation lightly, but this activity strikes at public confidence in the justice system, in our democracy and in the safety of community, and it erodes public confidence in the rule of law.”
A terrorist listing means the federal government can freeze any property of that group in Canada. It also gives police more tools to prosecute terrorist offences, including those related to financing, travel and recruitment.
In February, Canada classified seven cartels linked to fentanyl production as terrorist groups. At that time, there were 86 terrorist entities listed under the Criminal Code.
Would it work?
Heed was skeptical that the terrorist designation would have any impact on the ground.
“They designated the cartels. What difference has that made on supply and drug use in B.C.?” he asked.
He wants to see a task force independent of both Surrey police and the RCMP with members seconded from across Metro Vancouver to conduct the investigation. He suggested housing the task force under Vancouver police jurisdiction with resources provided by the province.
Heed pointed to a successful operation called Project Gaslight by police in Edmonton, which resulted in the arrest of six people, including two Indian nationals, after a series of extortions, drive-by shootings and arsons targeting South Asian homebuilders.
Maninder Singh Dhaliwal, 35, is believed to be the leader of the criminal group responsible for the extortions. Police had previously said he was affiliated with the Brothers Keepers gang. Earlier this year he was arrested on unrelated charges in the United Arab Emirates. Canada has applied to extradite him to face charges in the extortion scheme.
Has the Bishnoi gang been connected to other crimes in B.C.?
The arrest of four Indian nationals in the murder of Surrey Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2024 renewed interest in the Bishnoi gang’s links to Canada. All four — three Edmonton residents and a fourth arrested in Ontario — allegedly had some association with the group.
At the time, Sgt. Brenda Winpenny of B.C.’s anti-gang Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit said the agency was “aware of individuals operating under this name Bishnoi and we are working with our partners to share any kind of intelligence or information.”
Balpreet Singh of the World Sikh Organization of Canada said he supported Eby’s request, claiming the Indian government has been using the gang as a proxy to commit violent acts.
In 2023, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said “Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Government of India” and Nijjar’s killing.
With files from The Canadian Press