Bishnoi Gang ‘Acting on Behalf of Indian Govt’, Claims Royal Canadian Mounted Police: Report
New Delhi: The infamous Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which has been accused of extortion and murder-for-hire in Canada, has been “acting on behalf of the Indian government,” a Royal Canada Mounted Police (RCMP) document said, reported Canadian media platform Global News.
The RCMP security division’s report on the Bishnoi gang mentioned the crime group’s alleged ties to the government of India at least half-a-dozen times in just three pages.
“The Bishnoi Crime Group is a violent criminal organization with an active, continually expanding presence in several countries, including Canada,” the RCMP’s document stated, as obtained by Global News.
Driven by greed rather than political or religious motives, the Bishnoi gang commits extortions, drug trafficking, money-laundering and contract killings, it added.
“The Bishnoi Crime Group is known to use violence to further their criminal enterprise, while acting on behalf of the Indian government,” said the document, marked “Protected A.”
The document, a classified assessment of the Bishnoi gang’s growing presence in Canada, was accessed by Global News under Canada’s Access to Information Act.
This is not the first time Canadian security officials have made this claim about Bishnoi. In October 2024, the Canadian police had alleged that agents of the Indian government were using organised crime groups like the Bishnoi group to use coercion to collect information about members of South Asian diaspora.
The latest document was released by the RCMP on the same day that British Columbia Premier David Eby began a trade mission to India. Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney is reportedly also scheduled to visit India in the first half of this year.
While the document is not dated, it mentions Eby’s request in June 2025 asking the government to list the Bishnoi gang as a terrorist organisation.
On September 29, 2025, Canada formally declared the Lawrence Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity for creating a “climate of fear and intimidation”. They charged Bishnoi as targeting members of “significant diaspora communities” in Canada.
India had responded that “trans-national organised crime is a particular concern to both countries” and all countries “must come together to fight this menace”.
Meanwhile, organisations supporting the Canadian Sikh have protested Canada’s recent diplomatic efforts with India, citing Bishnoi link.
Balpreet Singh, spokesperson of the World Sikh Organization of Canada, was quoted as saying by the Canadian outlet, as saying that RCMP and the Canadian government were aware that the Bishnoi gang “is operating in coordination with the government of India to target individuals in Canada”.
He claimed the issue was being “downplayed” for “political convenience”, calling it deeply troubling that Ottawa appeared “willing to overlook India’s ongoing campaign of transnational repression and its clear links to the Bishnoi gang at the expense of the safety and security of Canadians.”
The Indian government has not commented on this yet. Meanwhile, the British Columbia premier’s office stated that a “criminal process” was underway and the federal government was engaged with India on “issues of shared concern.”
Bishnoi is currently in Gujarat’s Sabarmati jail. He was arrested in 2015.
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