CAMDEN, N.J. (Diya TV) — A Texas man has been sentenced to 26 months in federal prison for making violent, hate-driven threats against employees of a Sikh civil rights organization based in New Jersey, federal authorities announced Tuesday.
Bhushan Athale, 49, of Dallas County, pleaded guilty in March to one count of interfering with federally protected activities through the threat of violence and one count of transmitting interstate threats to injure another person, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel handed down the sentence in Camden federal court, which also includes three years of supervised release. Athale was also ordered to have no contact with any of the victims.
Prosecutors say Athale left a series of disturbing voicemails targeting employees of a Sikh advocacy nonprofit located in New Jersey. On Sept. 17, 2022, he called the organization’s main phone number and left several threatening messages over a few hours. In the messages, he explicitly threatened to injure or kill individuals affiliated with the group using a razor and described other violent acts in graphic detail.
Months later, on March 21, 2024, Athale called the organization again, leaving two more threatening voicemails. In these later messages, he escalated the hateful rhetoric, using violent and sexually explicit language to target Sikh and Muslim individuals, according to court filings and statements made during the hearing.
“The Department of Justice has no tolerance for hate-fueled threats of violence in our country,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division. “We appreciate the strong efforts of U.S. Attorney Alina Habba and her team in bringing this perpetrator to justice.”
U.S. Attorney Alina Habba for the District of New Jersey emphasized the serious nature of Athale’s actions, stating, “Threatening violence based on someone’s religion is not only morally repugnant—it is a federal crime. This sentence sends a clear message that hate-fueled threats have consequences.”
The case was investigated by special agents of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office, under the leadership of Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara A. Aliabadi and Jason M. Richardson prosecuted the case, with support from the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department.
The targeted nonprofit was not named in the press release, but the organization’s mission includes advocating for the civil rights and safety of Sikh Americans.
Athale’s threats were not limited to vague statements; they were specific, repeated, and deeply graphic, according to sources close to the case. Federal authorities considered his actions a hate crime due to the clear religious targeting of Sikh and Muslim individuals.
This case underscores a growing federal effort to combat religiously motivated violence and threats in the U.S. In recent years, the Justice Department has increased its prosecution of hate crimes, citing rising incidents across the country.
“Religious freedom and safety from violence are fundamental rights,” said Dhillon. “We will continue to pursue justice for those who are targeted because of their faith.”
