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Most-wanted fugitive among 8 Khalistani terrorists in FBI net
Pavittar Singh Batala, identified as key suspect in gang-related kidnapping case in US, is also wanted for carrying out terror activities at the behest of BKI in Punjab
In a coordinated operation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), alongside multiple SWAT teams, arrested eight individuals connected to the Khalistani terrorist network in the US on Saturday. Among those apprehended is the most-wanted Indian fugitive and a key member of the banned terrorist organisation Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) Pavittar Singh Batala.
Those arrested have been identified as Dilpreet Singh, Arshpreet Singh, Amritpal Singh, Vishal, Pavittar Singh Batala, Gurtaj Singh, Manpreet Randhawa, Sarabjit Singh, said San Joaquin County Sheriff’s office in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
The sheriff’s office also shared a video of the arrests and identified Pavittar Singh Batala as the primary suspect.
Batala, who is wanted in India by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for carrying out terror activities, was involved in a series of criminal cases, including extortion, arms smuggling and murder in Punjab. Police had issued a red corner notice against him about six months ago. He is wanted in six cases registered in Amritsar police district and two in Batala police district. Batala was working along with Khalistani terrorist Lakhbir Singh Rode.
The arrests stem from an ongoing investigation into a gang-related kidnapping and torture case. The operation, which took place on July 11, involved five search warrants executed across San Joaquin County.
The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with the Stockton Police Department SWAT, Manteca Police Department SWAT, Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office SWAT, and the FBI SWAT Team, seized several illegal weapons during the raids, including five handguns (one a fully-automatic Glock), an assault rifle, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, high-capacity magazines, and over $15,000 (around ₹13 lakh) in cash.
The arrested individuals are facing a range of serious charges, including kidnapping, torture, false imprisonment, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, criminal conspiracy and violations under the Gang Act, according to media reports.
Additional charges include the illegal possession of a machine gun, assault weapon and high-capacity magazines. These charges are linked to their role in a violent gang-terror network operating across the US and in India.
The operation was part of the FBI’s Summer Heat initiative, aimed at tackling violent offenders and gang members across the country.
The arrested men are believed to have entered the US illegally and operated criminal enterprises in both the US and India. Indian intelligence agencies have linked the group to ongoing terror activities in Punjab, including the BKI, which has been involved in multiple violent incidents and terror operations across India.
