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Newsmakers of the Week JULY 31, 2026 | The Indian Eye 31

book I, Phoolan - The Autobiography of India’s Bandit Queen, by Phoolan “Thanks to the outstanding work our @USBPChiefSWB partners are do-
Devi. It tells the story of a defining chapter in her life, whereby thousands of ing to ensure the safety and security of our Northern Border, this dangerous
men trap her in a village in an attempt to kill her. fugitive from @FBILosAngeles was captured early this morning in Vermont,”
It is produced by Shareen Mantri Kedia, Kishor Arora, Kanwal Kohli, FBI Albany said. The agency added that it remained committed to working with
and Richie Mehta. Sneha Kumari essays the titular role while Anurag Thakur, law enforcement partners “to protect our borders and keep our communities
Vikram Pratap Singh, Aakash Dahiya, Prateek Pachori, and Dev Dutt Budholi- safe from dangerous criminals”.
ya play prominent roles in the film. According to the FBI’s official wanted notice, Kaushal, also known by the
Prime Video shared the announcement on its Instagram on Tuesday. They alias “Lala,” is wanted for his alleged involvement in the Bhagwanpuria OCG,
shared the poster of the movie and wrote, “A story that unfolds over 48 unfor- which the agency described as “a transnational criminal organisation engaged
gettable hours. Phoolan as an Official Selection at TIFF 2026.” in, among other things, acts involving murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, ex-
According to the synopsis, the movie is “set in the heartland of India, Phool- tortion, weapons trafficking, money laundering, and human smuggling.”
an tells the story of an impoverished 17-year-old girl who became one of the The FBI said the organisation originated in the Indian state of Punjab and
most famous outlaws in Indian history and the target of 2,000 heavily armed operated in the Central District of California and elsewhere. It further alleged
men sent to kill her. The film captures a brutal 48-hour siege that defies the that Kaushal “carried out acts of violence on behalf of the Bhagwanpuria OCG,
conventions of action cinema,” as quoted in a press note. including, but not limited to, kidnappings and assaults”.
The Toronto International Film Festival is known for presenting interna- According to the FBI, a federal arrest warrant was issued against Kaushal
tional cinema and bringing together films and filmmakers from across the world. on June 25, 2026, by the US District Court for the Central District of Califor-
It is set to run from September 10 to September 20, 2026. nia after he was charged with Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations
(RICO) Conspiracy.
ANITHA IYER The FBI’s wanted notice also warned that Kaushal “should be considered
armed and dangerous and an escape risk”.
Professor to receive Columbia HARMANVEER SINGH
University’s Alumni Award Indian national held over drug

olumbia University’s Teachers
College has named Anitha Iyer trafficking case
Cas the recipient of its 2026 Dis- he Federal Bureau of Investiga-
tinguished Alumni Award, one of the tion (FBI) has arrested an Indi-
institution’s highest honors recogniz- Tan national, Harmanveer Singh,
ing exceptional professional achieve- over his alleged involvement in drug
ment, leadership, and service. trafficking operations linked to the
The award will be presented
during TC Alumni Day on Saturday, Canada-based Ravinder Dhanda gang.
The apprehension forms part of
October 3, as part of the College’s an- “Operation Hard Ball”, a joint inter-
nual Alumni Awards ceremony. national crackdown targeting syndi-
Iyer (Ph.D.’11, M.S.’09, M.A.’04)
serves as Associate Professor of Psy- cates run by Lawrence Bishnoi, Jaggu
Bhagwanpuria, and Ravinder Dhanda.
chiatry at Icahn School of Medicine at Singh was taken into custody in
Mount Sinai, and Director of Behavioral Health Population Management at Stockton, California, on Tuesday by
and Mount Sinai Health System. Her work is guided by the firm belief that time- officers of the California Highway Pa-
ly and equitable access to mental health treatment is essential for the wellbeing trol, the FBI stated on Wednesday.
of individuals and society. The federal agency noted that
Iyer is a recognized leader in the delivery of mental health services, frequent
speaker at industry national conferences and has served as a subject matter ex- he was wanted for his alleged role in
a transnational criminal network that
pert for media engagement on mental health and suicide prevention. She is a engaged in a conspiracy to distribute and possess controlled substances with in-
member of American Psychological Association’s Board for the Advancement tent to distribute, alongside a conspiracy to export controlled substances.
of Psychology in the Public Interest, and member of the APA Division 18 Ex- The FBI further stated that the “Ravinder Dhanda Organised Crime
ecutive Board. In addition to her doctorate, she has a master’s in Public Health Group” is based in Vancouver, Canada, and allegedly smuggled bulk quantities
from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. of cocaine and methamphetamine for drug trafficking organisations across the
NITISH KAUSHAL United States, Canada, and Mexico.
On June 23, 2026, a federal arrest warrant was issued against Singh in the Unit-
FBI Albany captures gangster in ed States District Court, Central District of California, Los Angeles, after he was

Vermont charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute, con-
spiracy to export, and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
The development follows a joint operation earlier this month in which law
he United States Federal Bu- enforcement authorities in the United States, Canada, and Europe arrested 24
reau of Investigation (FBI)
Ton Thursday announced the individuals connected to three India-based transnational organised crime syndi-
cates. Among those detained, 11 were arrested in California.
capture of Nitish Kaushal, an alleged In total, the US Department of Justice has charged 37 people in the indict-
associate of the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria ment under “Operation Hard Ball”.
Organized Crime Group (OCG), in According to officials, Singh’s arrest marks the latest action under “Operation
Vermont. Hard Ball”, which has led to coordinated enforcement measures across multiple
In a post on X, FBI Albany said
Kaushal, who was wanted by the FBI’s nations against alleged members and associates of the three organised crime groups.
Los Angeles field office, was appre- To read more about Indian diaspora and Global Indians, log on to and follow
hended with the assistance of US Bor- our website www.TheIndianEYE.com
der Patrol personnel.

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