Harpreet Singh, known as Happy Passia, a native of Ferozepur in Punjab, is being extradited to India from the United States. He was arrested in April 2025 by the FBI and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Sacramento, California. Passia had reportedly entered the US illegally in 2021 through human trafficking routes and had been on the run since.
Passia rose to notoriety as a key figure linked to Pakistan’s ISI and Babbar Khalsa International. He is accused of directing and financing a series of at least 14 grenade attacks in Punjab, targeting police stations, religious gatherings, and officials. He was already wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which had declared a Rs 5 lakh reward on his head.
He first came into the spotlight in 2022 after a coordinated grenade attack on the intelligence headquarters in Mohali, Punjab. Investigators traced communications and financial transactions back to him, establishing his control over local operatives despite being based overseas. He used encrypted apps and burner phones to relay instructions.
Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav confirmed his upcoming extradition and credited Indo-US cooperation for the breakthrough. The extradition process is being expedited through diplomatic channels and may also involve deportation as an undocumented entrant.
