India’s Most Wanted Fugitive Among Khalistani Terrorists Arrested In Gang Bust

Photo: Screengrab @SJSheriff

India-West News Desk

STOCKTON, CA -Eight individuals, including Pavittar Singh Batala, an alleged gangster on India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) “most wanted” list, were arrested in the United States on July 11. The arrests, made by the FBI and local law enforcement, are linked to a kidnapping and torture investigation in San Joaquin County.

The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the arrests, stating that their AGNET Unit, alongside SWAT teams from Stockton Police Department, Manteca Police Department, Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI, executed five coordinated search warrants across San Joaquin County. This operation was part of a gang-related kidnapping and torture inquiry.

 “This takedown was part of the FBI’s Summer Heat initiative, a nationwide effort targeting violent offenders and gang members who terrorize our communities. Summer Heat reflects Director Patel’s commitment to the American people to crush crime and restore safety in neighborhoods across the country,” the FBI said.

Batala,  associated with the banned terror organization Babbar Khalsa International is wanted in India for involvement in terror activities.

The other suspects arrested were identified as Dilpreet Singh, Amritpal Singh, Arshpreet Singh, Manpreet Randhawa, Sarabjit Singh, Gurtaj Singh, and Vishal. All accused face multiple charges, including kidnapping, torture, wrongful confinement, intimidating or threatening a witness, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, and making criminal threats. They were booked into the San Joaquin County Jail.

Additionally, the individuals were charged with possession of a machine gun, an unregistered loaded handgun, and the manufacturing and selling of high-capacity magazines and a short-barrel rifle. During the searches, authorities seized at least six firearms, including a fully automatic Glock, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, several high-capacity magazines, and over $15,000 in cash.