New Delhi [India], July 14 : The government on Tuesday said that it has seen the announcements made by the US Department of Justice regarding the indictments and enforcement action against transnational organised crime networks and that India has consistently maintained that such networks, apart from terrorism, narco trafficking and illegal firearms trafficking, pose a serious threat to our societies.
Answering queries during weekly media briefing, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India and the United States enjoy strong cooperation on combating terrorism and transnational organised crime.
He was answering queries on US prosecutors charging Lawrence Bishnoi and his aide Goldy Brar of ordering the hit on Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
"Regarding the operation by law enforcement agencies in the United States, we have seen the announcements made by the US Department of Justice regarding the indictments and enforcement action against transnational organised crime networks operating across several countries. India has consistently maintained that transnational organised crime, terrorism, narco trafficking, human trafficking, illegal firearms trafficking and related criminal networks pose a serious threat to our societies," he said.
"India and the United States enjoy strong and effective growing cooperation when it comes to combating terrorism as well as transnational organised crime. Our agencies on both sides here in India and those in the United States have been working closely over the years, and this cooperation continues to strengthen and deepen," he added.
'Answering another query, Jaiswal said remarks from Canada are consistent with the recently unsealed US indictment.
"We have noted the remarks made by RCMP Deputy Commissioner. These remarks are consistent with the recently unsealed US indictment which attributes responsibility to the members of the Lawrence Bishnoi organised crime group. India remains committed to working with our partners in combating terrorism and transnational organised crime through close law enforcement and security cooperation," he said.
The US Justice Department, in an official statement earlier this month, stated that gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar are among those charged in the United States for allegedly orchestrating the assassination of Nijjar in British Columbia, Canada, three years ago.
Federal prosecutors also announced that 24 people linked to "India-based organised crime groups" with charges of violent crimes, extortion plots, and international narcotics trafficking have been arrested in an operation named "Operation Hard Ball" carried out in the United States, Canada, and Europe, and a total of 37 defendants have been charged in three federal indictments.
First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli stated that a total of three transnational syndicates have been targeted by federal agencies.
The federal prosecutors in a statement said, "Bishnoi and Brar are charged with ordering this assassination, which occurred when two gunmen shot and killed H.S.N. as he left a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18, 2023."
Answering a query concerning passports, Jaiswal said an Indian passport is a document that, as per the Passports Act, 1967, is issued by the Government of India to regulate the departure from India of citizens of India.
"It is issued after due verification laid out by an established process," the spokesperson said, adding that "the issue of passports to Indian citizens or any other individual is governed by the Passports Act, 1967 and Passports Rules, 1980."
Less than 8% of Indian citizens hold a passport at present.