SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Diya TV) — A high-profile fugitive wanted for a series of terror attacks in India was arrested in Sacramento by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), officials confirmed Friday.
Harpreet Singh, also known as Happy Passia, had been on the radar of Indian and U.S. authorities for years. Accused of orchestrating at least 16 terror attacks in Punjab, India — including 14 grenade assaults, one IED blast, and an RPG strike — Singh was arrested after evading capture through the use of burner phones and encrypted apps, according to a statement by FBI Sacramento posted on X.
Officials say Singh, who entered the U.S. illegally, is a known associate of two international terrorist organizations: Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency and Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), a designated Khalistani terror group. His arrest marks a critical milestone in a transnational investigation involving federal agencies in both India and the United States.
“This case reinforces the importance of international cooperation in apprehending those who threaten global security,” FBI Sacramento said.
Singh, originally from Pashia village in Punjab’s Amritsar district, has a documented criminal history. According to a dossier compiled by Punjab Police and cited by Press Trust of India (PTI), Singh was initially involved with the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang before aligning with Harwinder Singh Sandhu, also known as Rinda, a Pakistan-based BKI commander.
Between 2023 and 2025, the Rinda-Passia alliance allegedly spearheaded a wave of violence across Punjab, targeting police officers, Hindu religious processions, liquor contractors, and business owners through extortion calls, arson, and grenade attacks. In September 2024, Singh allegedly plotted a grenade attack on a house in Chandigarh, believed to be the residence of a retired police officer. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) later named Singh in a charge sheet and announced a reward of ₹5 lakh (about $6,000) for information leading to his capture.
The Rinda-Passia network also allegedly recruited drug-addicted juveniles for terror operations, offering them cash and narcotics in exchange for their participation. One such recruit, a 17-year-old, was arrested in December 2024 for planting an IED near Ajnala Police Station and reportedly confessed to being lured by promises of money and drugs, PTI reported.
Punjab Police Chief Gaurav Yadav hailed Singh’s arrest as a “major milestone in the war against terror” and confirmed that extradition proceedings are underway in coordination with India’s central government. Singh’s involvement in terrorism dates back to his move to Dubai in 2018, followed by travel to London in 2020 and eventually illegal entry into the U.S.
Singh’s U.S.-based associates — identified in the police dossier as Gurdev Singh Jaisal Pehalwan and Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi Nawanshehria — allegedly collaborated in planning and executing attacks alongside Germany-based Swaran Singh, alias Jeevan Faujia.
So far, 33 First Information Reports (FIRs) and 10 Look Out Circulars have been issued against Singh by Punjab authorities. His arrest brings renewed momentum to ongoing efforts to dismantle the broader BKI-linked network accused of spreading terror across northern India.
Agents from the FBI’s Legal Attaché office in New Delhi were instrumental in tracking Singh’s movements, according to FBI Sacramento’s statement. The arrest comes amid heightened international focus on the role of diaspora-linked terror cells operating from foreign soil. As the extradition process begins, both Indian and U.S. authorities are treating the case as a significant step forward in combating global terrorism.
