Guwahati: The FBI has arrested Indian national Nitish Kaushal, an alleged member of the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria organised crime group, days after adding him to its list of most wanted criminals.
“Nitish Kaushal has been arrested in Vermont,” the FBI said in a post on X on Thursday.
According to the FBI, Kaushal allegedly carried out acts of violence on behalf of the Bhagwanpuria organised crime group, including kidnappings and assaults.
The agency had added Kaushal to its most wanted list on July 14, alleging his involvement in a transnational criminal organisation engaged in murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, extortion, weapons trafficking, money laundering and human smuggling.
The FBI said the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria Organised Crime Group originated in Punjab and operated in California’s Central District and elsewhere in the United States.
The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles issued a federal arrest warrant for Kaushal on June 25 after charging him with conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
The arrest follows Operation Hard Ball, a coordinated international law enforcement operation targeting the Bhagwanpuria gang.
The operation involved coordinated enforcement actions across the United States, Canada and Europe.