NEW DELHI: Harpreet Singh, a terror accused wanted in India for his alleged role in 14 grenade blasts across Punjab, has been arrested in Sacramento, California by the FBI and US immigration authorities.
Singh, who is also accused in 17 criminal cases in India, including terrorism and drug trafficking, was detained on Thursday, the FBI’s Sacramento office confirmed.
“Today, Harpreet Singh, an alleged terrorist responsible for terror attacks in Punjab, India, was arrested by the FBI & ERO in Sacramento. Linked to two international terrorist groups, he entered the US illegally and used burner phones to evade capture,” the FBI said in a post on X.
Singh, also known as Happy Passia and Jora, is a native of Passia village in Amritsar district. After spending a short period in the UK, he illegally crossed into the US via Mexico in 2021. According to Punjab Police, Singh has been implicated in several acts of violence between November 2022 and April 2024, including the use of explosives and providing material support to terror outfits.
National Investigation Agency (NIA) has named Singh in its chargesheet filed in March 2024 in connection with the 2024 Chandigarh grenade attack.
Singh and Pakistan-based terrorist Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda, both alleged operatives of the banned group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), are accused of masterminding the attack and supplying funds, weapons, and explosives to on-ground operatives.
The NIA charge sheet read: “Investigations revealed that Rinda, along with Happy Passia, had orchestrated the conspiracy to strike terror among law enforcement officials and general public through the grenade attack, as part of the broader aim to promote BKI’s terrorist agenda. They had recruited local operatives, namely Rohan Masih and Vishal Masih, who were tasked with carrying out the attack under their direct instructions. Rinda and Happy directed the other accused, Rohan Masih and Vishal Masih, to conduct reconnaissance on the target twice before hurling the grenade, investigations revealed.”
The September 2024 grenade attack targeted a residence believed to belong to a retired Punjab Police officer and is part of what Indian agencies call a transnational terror conspiracy to reignite militancy in the region.
The NIA has charged Singh under multiple sections, including:
- Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967: Sections 13 (unlawful activities) and 16 (terrorist acts)
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023: Sections 109 (abetment), 351(2) (attempt to murder), 333 (grievous hurt to deter public servant), and 61 (unlawful assembly)
- Explosive Substances Act, 1908: Sections 3, 4, 5, and 6, relating to causing or attempting explosions, possessing explosives, and abetment
India is expected to initiate the extradition process, though it remains to be seen how quickly proceedings will advance given Singh’s illegal entry into the US and the complexity of bilateral legal protocols.
