Canada has stoked a fresh controversy even as it seeks to rebuild trade ties with India. The Canadian Police has mounted a new allegation against New Delhi,
with a confidential report by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) claiming that the Lawrence Bishnoi gang - designated a terrorist organisation in Canada - has been "acting on behalf of the Indian government". According to a report by Vancouver-based Global News, the RCMP report states, "The Bishnoi Crime Group is a violent criminal organisation with an active, continually expanding presence in several countries, including Canada." The report further claims, "The Bishnoi Crime Group is known to use violence to further their criminal enterprise, while acting on behalf of the Indian government." The report mentions the Bishnoi gang six times, and repeatedly refers to its alleged links with the Indian government. Also Read: Why Are Indian Professionals Facing a Backlash in the US After Trump’s H-1B Overhaul? The claims come at a time when diplomatic relations between the two countries are sensitive. In August 2025, India and Canada appointed new envoys to each other after an year of strained ties, following unsubstantiated allegations by Canadian security agencies that India was involved in espionage and violence on Canadian soil. India has consistently rejected the charges.
Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Patnaik repeated the stance in an interview with CBC, saying, "Accusations are easy. India has been talking about terrorism in Canada for 40 years. What has anyone done about it? Not one person has been convicted here."
The RCMP report was made public on the same day British Columbia Premier David Eby was in India on a trade mission, from January 12 to 17.
Lawrence Bishnoi is currently lodged in Sabarmati Jail in Ahmedabad and is believed to operate his network from there with the help of associates in India and abroad.
