Roving Periscope: With PM Modi in the US, India may demand extradition of 12 criminals
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: During his scheduled visit to the US on Thursday and meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s team is expected to urge the US authorities to ensure the extradition of 12 America-based gangsters to India, the media reported on Wednesday.
India is likely to hand over a list of 12 US-based gangsters to the American authorities. The list has been prepared following a directive from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. The list, supported by criminal dossiers, includes names of gangsters like Anmol Bishnoi and Goldy Brar. This move may be a warning to pro-Khalistani militants like Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
New Delhi “expects smooth communication with its American counterparts.”
Others on the list include Brar’s associate Darmanjot Singh Kahlon alias Darman Kahlon, Amritpal Singh, Harjot Singh, Harbir Singh, Navroop Singh, Swaran Singh alias Fauji, Sahil Kailash Ritoli, Yogesh alias Bobby Beri, Ashu alias Bhanu Pratap Sambhli, and Aman Sambhi.
Anmol, brother of dreaded gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is accused of planning the conspiracy to murder NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, was nabbed was by the US authorities in November 2024.
Brar, who is a key member of the Bishnoi gang, was declared a designated terrorist by the Centre under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, or UAPA. He is the alleged mastermind behind the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala. Brar went to Canada on a student visa in 2017 and later travelled to California.
According to the media reports, most of the gangsters whose names feature in the list are in touch with Pakistan-based smugglers, as they allegedly smuggle “huge quantities of narcotics from Pakistan to India.” Their smuggling activities are reported to be undertaken using drones and through the sea route as well.
These gangsters use VPNs to hide their location and encrypt communications, making tracing challenging.
During his first visit to Washington after Donald Trump’s second term commenced at the White House on January 20, PM Modi will reportedly meet several members of the US President’s new administration, as well as US business leaders and members of the Indian-American community.
He may also meet SpaceX and Tesla chief Elon Musk. PM Modi, keen to scale up India’s burgeoning electric vehicles (EV) sector, would be happy if Musk opened a Tesla factory in India, the media reported.
As for the bilateral relations, their transactional side will come into sharp relief with each leader, especially Trump, armed with an array of demands. New Delhi has signalled its willingness to lower tariffs, take back undocumented Indian immigrants, and buy American oil.
It has already reduced some tariffs and taken back 104 undocumented Indians, last week. These pre-emptive steps are meant to prevent the US President from making specific demands of India and to reduce the likelihood of tensions with the new Trump administration.
Still, Trump may ask Modi to make additional tariff reductions, to further chip away at a US goods and services trade deficit with India that has approached USD 46 billion in recent years. But an obstacle could become an opportunity: PM Modi may call on Trump to enter into bilateral talks on an economic partnership accord meant to reduce tariffs on both sides.
In recent years, New Delhi has shown a growing willingness to pursue trade deals. The Trump administration may prove to be a more willing interlocutor than the Biden administration, which imposed heavy environmental and labour-related conditions on new trade agreements.
