Happy Passia arrest in US a major milestone: Punjab DGP

CHANDIGARH: Punjab police had recently initiated the process for getting red corner notice (RCN) issued against gangster-terrorist Harpreet Singh, aka Happy Passia, who was arrested in Califonia by the US authorities. Passia faces more than 30 cases which include at least 15 related to series of grenade attacks on police establishments and other targets in Punjab in the last few months.

A blue notice had already been issued against Passia, a key operative of ISI-backed Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and close associate of Pakistan-based terrorist Harwinder Rinda. The blue notice relates to collecting additional information about a person's identity, location or activities in relation to a criminal investigation.
Describing Passia's arrest as a major milestone in the police's sustained crackdown on ISI-backed terror networks, Punjab director-general of police Gaurav Yadav, in a post on X said: "Between 2023 and 2025, Happy Passia played a central role in orchestrating targeted killings, grenade attacks on police establishments, and extortion across Punjab and other states," adding that his arrest on April 17, 2025 was the outcome of excellent international cooperation and exchange of information between the US and India.
The Punjab Police consistently shares intelligence with the central agencies, the DGP said.
The DGP, in a video message, said that Passia started his criminal career and activities in the organised crime with Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang and his US-based associates Darman Kahlon and Amritpal. Subsequently, Passia came in contact with Rinda and carried out different acts by emerging as a primary node of terror modules at the behest of ISI.
Passia was involved in many incidents after Sep 2024 in Punjab by masterminding his activities while being based in the US. "Punjab police tracked him in a meticulous manner and dismantled his terror modules by doing complete mapping of his contacts," the DGP said, adding that an extensive dossier on Passia was shared with the central agencies and through appropriate channels the information was shared with US authorities, ultimately leading to his detention by the US authorities.
"This is a manifestation that crime does not pay. Criminal has to come back and face the law. Punjab police is totally determined to keep the state safe and secure," DGP Yadav said.
Police hope Passia will be deported, not extradited
Punjab police are now hopeful that Passia would soon be deported like other illegal immigrants, without having to pursue a lengthy extradition procedure. A senior Punjab police officer told TOI: "We believe that Passia will be deported like other illegal immigrants from the United States since US ICE was involved in his arrest. We don't think an extradition process would be required."
The officer added, "If extradition route is taken, which is highly unlikely, it could take a long time. In extradition, on detention based on red corner notice, a request must be sent to the country where the wanted criminal is detained for a provisional arrest within 48 hours after getting information of detention. The accused is produced in a local court and is invariably sent to 60-day detention. Within these 60 days, a request by the State police through the Interpol division of the CBI must be made for extradition and the accused can contest that in the court in that country before the final decision is taken on the extradition."
In a report in Jan this year, TOI had highlighted that Passia, a matriculate who was behind the series of grenade attacks in Punjab, as per police, was using untraceable "burner" phone numbers with different country codes to evade tracking by the law enforcement agencies.
First Shifted To UK, Then To US
Hailing from Passia village under Ramdas police station in Amritsar Rural police district, Passia who also goes by the alias of Jora, lived in the United Kingdom for a few months before illegally moving to the US through the Mexico border in 2021, as per a dossier on him.
As per police, Passia has criminal associates residing in the UK - where he spent a few months in 2020-21 before illegally moving to the US - who provided him with burner phone numbers.
Cases Against Passia
Between Nov 2022 to April 2024, Passia was wanted in as many as 17 cases registered against him for alleged offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Arms Act, NDPS Acts and others including extortions. The number of cases against him has nearly doubled from April last year. As per Punjab police, Passia is involved in orchestrating at least 15 of the 22 cases of grenade attacks in Punjab in recent months.
In Jan, National Investigation Agency (NIA) had announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh against Passia for his alleged role in Sep 2024 grenade attack targeted at a retired Punjab police officer in Chandigarh, the investigation of which was taken over by the NIA. Same month, a US district court also issued an arrest warrant against Passia, who had been declared absconder in the case, on an application filed by the NIA.
Locals in native village prefer silence
Fear remains palpable in his village, Passia, situated near Ramdas in Ajnala Tehsil of Punjab's Amritsar district, with most residents avoiding discussions about him, often citing vague reasons.
The gangster's mother, Bhupinder Kaur, and sister, Kirandeep Kaur, are in prison on various charges. "His criminal network has deep roots, and investigations are ongoing to dismantle it fully," Amritsar (Rural) senior superintendent of police (SSP) Maninder Singh said.
One villager, Kuljit Kaur, cautiously shared that Happy's father, Gurwinderpal Singh, a truck driver, had passed away when Happy was barely five years old. "After his mother and sister were arrested, their house has remained locked. That's all I know," she said, quickly ending the conversation. (With inputs from Yudhvir Rana in Amritsar)
(With inputs from Yudhvir Rana in Amritsar)