SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Diya TV) — The FBI has arrested Harpreet Singh, an alleged gangster-turned-terrorist wanted in connection with a series of violent attacks in India, marking a major breakthrough in a joint U.S.-India counterterrorism effort.

Singh, also known as “Happy Passia” and “Jora,” was taken into custody on April 18 in Sacramento by FBI agents and the Enforcement and Removal Operations team from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the arrest and praised the collaboration between American and Indian law enforcement agencies.

“CAPTURED: HARPREET SINGH, part of an alleged foreign terrorist gang here illegally in the United States, who we believe was involved in planning multiple attacks on police stations both in India and the United States,” Patel posted on X. “Excellent work from all, and justice will be done.”

Singh is said to have entered the U.S. illegally and used burner phones and encrypted apps to avoid detection, according to a statement from the FBI’s Sacramento field office. Patel, the first Indian American to lead the FBI, stressed that the bureau would continue to track down violent offenders “no matter where they are.”

Indian authorities have linked Singh to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency and the banned Khalistani terrorist organization Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). Punjab’s Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav described Singh’s arrest as “a major milestone in anti-terror operations targeting ISI-backed terror networks.”

Between 2023 and 2025, Singh is believed to have orchestrated targeted killings, grenade attacks on police stations, and extortion schemes across Punjab and surrounding regions, according to Yadav. Intelligence sources told the Press Trust of India (PTI) that Singh had direct links to at least 16 violent incidents, including 14 grenade attacks, an IED blast, and a rocket-propelled grenade strike on law enforcement targets.

One of the most high-profile attacks linked to Singh occurred in January 2025, when a vehicle belonging to a senior Punjab police officer exploded near the Gumtala police post in Amritsar. Investigators believe the device used in that bombing — a modified carburetor-based IED — was a signature method connected to Singh’s terror network.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) of India had placed a reward of Rs 5 lakh (approximately $6,000) on Singh’s capture, specifically in connection with a September 2024 grenade attack on the house of a retired Punjab Police officer in Chandigarh.

Singh, a native of Ajnala tehsil in Punjab’s Amritsar district, was reportedly a key operative for BKI, which has long been associated with pro-Khalistan separatist violence. Indian agencies have also accused him of maintaining ties to Pakistan’s ISI, which has been suspected of funding and directing anti-India terrorist plots.

Following Singh’s arrest, the Indian government moved quickly to begin extradition proceedings. Both Punjab Police and the NIA have submitted the necessary paperwork to their U.S. counterparts, according to ANI.

Patel, in his statement, reaffirmed the FBI’s commitment to international cooperation in combating terrorism. “The FBI will continue finding those who perpetrate violence — no matter where they are,” he wrote.