CHANDIGARH: The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has alleged that Punjab Police officer Gurinderjit Singh Nagra, acting at the behest of jailed gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, attempted to extort $400,000 from a family in the United States by threatening to implicate its members in a false murder case in India.
Nagra, who was posted as Station House Officer (SHO) of Tanda Police Station in Hoshiarpur district, has since been transferred to the police lines pending an inquiry.
Talking to the media in Los Angeles, First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli alleged that Gurinderjit Singh was part of an extortion conspiracy linked to the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria criminal syndicate.
"This indictment states that this gang of Bhagwanpuria partnered with corrupt police officials in India to falsely accuse enemies of crimes within India. One of the defendants, Gurinderjit Singh, is a police officer in India charged with attempting to extort victims here in Los Angeles by threatening to file false murder charges against them in India. They extorted a family for $400,000 until the victim actually agreed to pay money. We have charged him and we will extradite him to the US," he said.
According to the seven-count federal indictment titled United States v. Bhagwanpuria, et al., the Bhagwanpuria syndicate cultivated links with corrupt law enforcement officials in India and used them to target perceived rivals and victims through fabricated criminal cases and extortion.
"To expand its power, this group corrupted law enforcement officers in India and partnered with corrupt government officials, including to assist in extortion schemes. It also provided false information to law enforcement officers in India regarding alleged crimes. The Bhagwanpuria group used this false information to target perceived rivals and individuals that members or associates believed were cooperating with law enforcement, often triggering baseless criminal proceedings and extortion plots by corrupt Indian law enforcement officers against perceived rivals," the indictment read.
According to the indictment, in April 2026, Gurlal Singh (22) of Stockton, California, an alleged member of the Bhagwanpuria syndicate and an undocumented immigrant from India, threatened a victim and then provided the victim's name to a corrupt law enforcement officer in Punjab.
"This ultimately led to the victim, the victim's father, and the victim's sister being falsely accused of the January 2026 murder of a victim in India identified in court documents as 'B.S.' It also led to the corrupt law enforcement officer in India extorting the victim and the victim's father in connection with that pending murder case. A separate member of the Bhagwanpuria syndicate, Gurdev Singh (26), is alleged to have attempted to extort a family living in the Midwest while he was being held in ICE custody, including by threatening to 'put bullets in your kids'," the indictment stated.
During the media briefing, federal officials identified the officer as Gurinderjit Singh Nagra. The indictment forms part of a wider prosecution against 17 alleged members and associates of the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria syndicate, which US authorities describe as a transnational criminal organisation involved in murder-for-hire, drug trafficking, kidnappings, extortion, firearms trafficking and other organised crimes across India, the United States, Canada and several other countries.
Nagra was serving as SHO of Tanda Police Station at the time of the allegations and has now been transferred to the police lines pending an inquiry.
Reacting to the development, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Jalandhar Range) Naveen Singla said:
"We too got to know of it from the FBI's Los Angeles webpage. The SHO has been transferred to Police Lines. To ensure a fair probe, the inquiry has been marked outside Hoshiarpur. I have asked SP (D) Jalandhar Vineet Ahlawat to investigate the matter and report to the department as soon as possible."
Senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia shared the FBI media briefing on X and criticised the Punjab Police.
"Just as the FBI sought the extradition of Goldy Brar, Lawrence Bishnoi and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, a Punjab Police officer has now also come under the FBI's scanner. The Punjab Police, once known for its reputation, has today become a symbol of global embarrassment," he said.
Congress MLA from Bholath, Sukhpal Khaira, also reacted, saying, "The filing of chargesheet against a Punjab Police officer for extortion of US $400,000 has come as a big blot and question mark on the functioning of Punjab Police."
The US Justice Department has charged the accused with racketeering conspiracy, attempted extortion, narcotics trafficking and firearms offences. The indictment contains allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
