NIA chargesheets 23rd accused in Lawrence Bishnoi-BKI terror nexus case
Synopsis
The NIA has now chargesheeted 23 accused in the Lawrence Bishnoi gang-BKI terror nexus case, with the latest filing targeting Arjit Kumar for fraudulently arranging passports and visas that helped gang members — including Sachin Bishnoi — flee India. The sixth chargesheet in three years signals the investigation is still widening, with three accused still at large.
Key Takeaways
The NIA filed its sixth chargesheet on 18 May in the Lawrence Bishnoi gang-BKI terror nexus case before the Patiala House Court, New Delhi .
Arjit Kumar alias Ajit is the 23rd accused chargesheeted; he faces charges under the IPC and UAPA .
He allegedly arranged fraudulent passports and visas for gang members, including co-accused Sachin Bishnoi , to help them flee India.
Of the 23 accused, 20 are in custody and 3 remain absconding .
The case was originally registered by the Special Cell of Delhi Police in August 2022 before the NIA took over.
The 22nd accused, Rahul Sarkar , was chargesheeted in October 2024 for similar document-forgery facilitation.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday, 18 May filed its sixth chargesheet in the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror nexus case of 2022, naming Arjit Kumar alias Ajit as the 23rd accused in the matter. The chargesheet was filed before the NIA Special Court at Patiala House Court, New Delhi, in case RC-39/2022/NIA/DLI.
Charges Filed Against the Accused
Arjit Kumar has been charged under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). According to the NIA, he colluded with co-accused to facilitate members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang in carrying out terrorist activities on Indian soil and subsequently fleeing the country.
Investigators found that Arjit had fraudulently arranged passports and visas for gang members. Among those who used such forged travel documents to escape India was co-accused Sachin Bishnoi, the NIA confirmed.
Custody and Absconder Status
Of the 23 accused chargesheeted so far in the case, 20 — including Arjit — are currently under arrest. The remaining three are reportedly absconding, according to the NIA.
Background: How the Case Evolved
The case was originally registered by the Special Cell of Delhi Police in August 2022 and was subsequently taken over by the NIA for investigation. The agency's probe established that the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and the proscribed BKI were engaged in a coordinated terror conspiracy aimed at spreading violence across India.
In October 2024, the NIA had filed its fifth chargesheet, naming Rahul Sarkar as the 22nd accused. Sarkar was charged with facilitating gang members in committing terror activities and assisting their escape by procuring forged identity documents — including Aadhaar cards, Voter ID cards, and bank passbooks — to fraudulently obtain passports. Those documents also reportedly aided co-accused Sachin Bishnoi in fleeing the country.
The Bishnoi-BKI Terror Network
The Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which has been linked to multiple high-profile crimes including targeted killings, has drawn sustained scrutiny from central agencies for its alleged cross-border connections. The Babbar Khalsa International is a proscribed organisation under Indian law, designated for its role in Khalistan-linked terrorism. The nexus between the two outfits, as alleged by the NIA, points to a structured support network spanning document forgery, logistics, and safe passage for operatives.
With the sixth chargesheet now filed, the case continues to expand in scope, and investigators have not ruled out further additions to the accused list as the probe progresses.
Point of View
Including operatives who used forged documents to leave India. The document-forgery thread running through multiple chargesheets reveals a structural vulnerability: gang members were able to procure Aadhaar cards, Voter IDs, and bank passbooks with apparent ease to build fraudulent passport trails. The Bishnoi-BKI nexus case is also a stress test for inter-agency coordination — the fact that the Special Cell registered the FIR in 2022 but the NIA took over suggests the Centre viewed the terror angle as beyond routine organised crime. How quickly the three absconding accused are traced will be the real measure of investigative reach.
NationPress
9 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Arjit Kumar and what is he accused of in the NIA case?
Arjit Kumar, also known as Ajit, is the 23rd accused chargesheeted by the NIA in the Lawrence Bishnoi gang-BKI terror nexus case. He is accused of colluding with co-accused to fraudulently arrange passports and visas for gang members, enabling them to carry out terrorist activities in India and flee the country.
What is the Lawrence Bishnoi gang-BKI terror nexus case?
The case, registered as RC-39/2022/NIA/DLI, relates to an alleged terror conspiracy between the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and the proscribed Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) to spread terrorism across India. It was originally filed by the Special Cell of Delhi Police in August 2022 and was subsequently taken over by the NIA.
How many accused have been chargesheeted in the case so far?
As of 18 May, the NIA has chargesheeted 23 accused across six chargesheets. Of these, 20 are currently under arrest and three remain absconding, according to the agency.
Who was the 22nd accused in the case?
Rahul Sarkar was chargesheeted as the 22nd accused in October 2024. He was charged with facilitating Lawrence Bishnoi gang members in terror activities and helping them flee India by procuring forged identity documents, including Aadhaar cards, Voter IDs, and bank passbooks.
What role did Sachin Bishnoi play in the case?
Sachin Bishnoi, an accused in the same case, is alleged to have used fraudulently obtained travel documents — arranged by co-accused including Arjit Kumar and Rahul Sarkar — to escape India and continue terror-related activities from abroad, according to NIA investigations.
