The FBI arrested alleged Punjab gang member Nitish Kaushal, also known as 'Lala', on 16 July in Alburgh, Vermont — less than a mile from the Canadian border — after he allegedly spent days evading federal agents, discarded a court-tracked mobile phone, and attempted to pass himself off using a fraudulent New Jersey driver's licence, according to newly filed US court documents. Federal prosecutors have since moved to detain him pending trial, arguing he poses a clear danger to the community and a serious flight risk.

How the Arrest Unfolded

Kaushal had been placed on the FBI's Most Wanted list after he allegedly vanished following the unsealing of a federal indictment. Investigators had been tracking his mobile phone under a court-authorised warrant, but Kaushal reportedly abandoned the device and disappeared. After an unsuccessful arrest attempt on 7 July, the FBI escalated its search.

A Vermont resident's home security cameras captured a suspicious man looking inside a vehicle and entering a barn in the area. When US Border Patrol agents subsequently encountered Kaushal, he allegedly presented a driver's licence bearing another person's name. Fingerprint analysis confirmed his real identity, and Kaushal reportedly admitted the licence was not his. Prosecutors also cited a distinctive lion tattoo, cross-referencing photographs taken during the investigation with those taken after his arrest.

Court filings note that Canadian law enforcement had spotted an individual travelling on foot in Canada before Kaushal was identified again that morning in Vermont. The filing does not conclusively establish that the individual seen in Canada was Kaushal.

The Federal Indictment

A federal grand jury in Los Angeles indicted Kaushal on 25 June on a charge of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy. The 44-page indictment names him as one of 15 defendants charged in connection with the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria Organised Crime Group — a transnational criminal enterprise that prosecutors allege is headquartered in India with operations spanning the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

According to the indictment, the organisation originated in Punjab under the leadership of Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, who prosecutors allege was once associated with jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi before establishing a rival criminal network. The group reportedly grew to include more than 1,000 members and associates worldwide, with more than 100 based in the United States.

Specific Allegations Against Kaushal

Kaushal is specifically accused of carrying out acts of violence on behalf of the organisation. A key allegation concerns an incident on 10 July 2024, when the gang allegedly believed a man had stolen a drug shipment. An associate reportedly lured the victim to a residence in Manteca, California, where Kaushal and three others — Amritpal Singh Bal, Harshpreet Singh, and Amarbir Singh — allegedly restrained him.

Prosecutors allege Kaushal and Harshpreet Singh assaulted the victim before he was transported to an apartment in Fresno, where gang members demanded $50,000, claiming it represented compensation for the stolen drug shipment. The indictment alleges Jaggu Bhagwanpuria later ordered the victim's release to resolve an internal dispute within the organisation.

Background and Criminal History

According to the detention motion, Kaushal allegedly entered the United States illegally through Yuma, Arizona, in 2022. He was charged in 2023 with murder, attempted murder, conspiracy, and weapons offences, but was ultimately convicted of a firearms offence and sentenced to 60 days in custody. Prosecutors also allege a misdemeanour drug case in 2026.

The indictment further alleges the organisation managed large-scale cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking routes across the United States, moving shipments of 100 kilograms or more from Southern California to the eastern United States and the US-Canada border. The group also allegedly accepted murder-for-hire contracts and used violence against those suspected of stealing drug consignments.

What Happens Next

Federal prosecutors argue that the gravity of the charges, the strength of available evidence, and the circumstances of Kaushal's arrest collectively demonstrate that no conditions of release could adequately ensure public safety or guarantee his appearance in court. A detention hearing is expected to determine whether Kaushal remains in custody pending trial — a proceeding that will test the government's case against one of the most high-profile Indian nationals charged in a US transnational crime prosecution in recent years.