Himanshu Bhau detained in US, India seeks deportation

Himanshu Bhau, also known as Himanshu Ritoliya, has been detained in the United States, according to officials cited in reports on October 24. He is wanted in India in multiple murder and extortion cases, and has been the subject of an Interpol Red Notice since August 2023, one report states. His associate Neeraj Kaushik, also called Neeraj Faridpuria, has also been detained.

Haryana Police's Special Task Force is working with the Central Bureau of Investigation, India's nodal agency for Interpol, to finalise modalities for his deportation, officials said. Bhau was initially detained for misrepresentation of facts after Haryana Police flagged that he had fled India using a forged surname in his passport, officials said.

Where he is reported to be held

One report states that the two men were identified in the US government's online detainee locator on Friday, October 24, listed under the names Himanshu Sigroha and Neeraj Kaushik at the Henderson Detention Center in Henderson, Nevada, outside Las Vegas. Their cases are being handled by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Enforcement and Removal Operations office in Las Vegas, the same report states. No US criminal charges against either man have been found in public records, according to that report.

What officials say about his background

Officials cited in reports say Bhau's criminal career began at 17, when he allegedly attempted to murder an adversary, and that he escaped from a juvenile correctional facility in Hisar in 2020. Investigators allege he initially fled India to Portugal using forged documents and has since operated his syndicate from overseas. His gang has been linked in media reports to high-profile incidents, including a fatal shooting at a fast-food outlet in west Delhi, a firing incident outside a YouTuber's residence, and shooting attacks at car showrooms in Delhi.

The gang came under the spotlight in September after claiming responsibility on social media for the daylight murder of gym trainer Vijay Kumar in South Delhi's Aya Nagar area on September 14, police said. Kumar was the third person killed in an ongoing local family rivalry, police said.

Where reports disagree

The accounts do not line up on the basics, and this is important. One set of reports describes an FBI capture in Las Vegas, while another describes ICE custody found through the detainee locator. It is not established whether Himanshu Sigroha, the name in the detainee locator, is another name for Himanshu Bhau, or whether the accounts concern the same person. Reports also differ on timing: one report says Bhau was tracked to Las Vegas and arrested on Thursday, October 22, while others date the detention to October 24. Neither the FBI nor ICE has issued a formal statement on the arrests, according to the reports reviewed.

What happens next

Authorities are exploring deportation alongside the possibility of formal extradition, officials said. Which procedure applies will depend on the legal grounds for detention, immigration proceedings, and the requirements of US and Indian law. One report notes that whether Bhau contests removal, including through asylum claims, will decide how fast he returns. No transfer to India has been confirmed.