In a major breakthrough with international implications, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested eight Khalistani-linked suspects — including India’s most wanted terrorist, Pavittar Singh Batala — in connection with a gang-related kidnapping and torture case in San Joaquin County, California.
Batala, a notorious gangster from Punjab with alleged ties to the banned terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), has long been on the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) most wanted list for his involvement in terror-related activities in India. He and seven others were apprehended during a multi-agency operation on Friday, July 11, carried out across multiple locations in the U.S.
According to a statement from the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, the coordinated crackdown involved the AGNET Unit, FBI SWAT, and tactical units from Stockton, Manteca, and Stanislaus County police departments. Five simultaneous search warrants were executed as part of the operation.
The arrested individuals were identified as:
- Pavittar Singh Batala
- Dilpreet Singh
- Amritpal Singh
- Arshpreet Singh
- Manpreet Randhawa
- Sarabjit Singh
- Gurtaj Singh
- A man known only as Vishal, who did not disclose a surname
All eight suspects have been booked into the San Joaquin County Jail on multiple felony charges, including:
- Kidnapping
- Torture
- Wrongful confinement
- Intimidating a witness
- Assault with a semiautomatic firearm
- Making criminal threats
- Felony gang enhancements
Weapons and contraband seized from the raids included at least six firearms, such as a fully automatic Glock, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, high-capacity magazines, a short-barrel rifle, and over $15,000 in cash. Authorities have also filed charges for illegal possession of machine guns, unregistered loaded handguns, and manufacture and sale of restricted firearm parts.
The operation was conducted under the FBI’s “Summer Heat” initiative, a federal crackdown targeting violent offenders and gang networks operating within the United States.
“Summer Heat reflects Director Kash Patel’s commitment to the American people to crush crime and restore safety in neighborhoods across the country,” said the sheriff’s office in a statement.
Batala’s arrest is particularly significant for India, which has seen a rise in fugitives linked to Khalistani terrorism and organized crime fleeing to North America. Individuals like Goldy Brar, Anmol Bishnoi, and Rohit Godara have also established criminal safe havens in the U.S. and Canada, where they continue to orchestrate illicit activities with transnational impact.
As investigations continue, officials from both U.S. and Indian intelligence agencies are reportedly coordinating efforts to assess the broader terror-financing and criminal operations network linked to these arrests. Extradition discussions may follow, depending on bilateral agreements and ongoing judicial processes.