Hailing from a modest farming family in rural Rajasthan, Hari once aspired to join the police or the Army, and prepared for competitive exams in Jaipur. (Source: Express photo)Days after boxing the elusive Himanshu Bhau, US authorities, acting on intelligence from Indian central agencies, have detained another wanted fugitive – Hari Chand Jaat, alias Harry Boxer.A “mastermind” in the transnational crime and extortion syndicate orchestrated by jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, Boxer, who had entered the US illegally, was pinned in California by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Friday.According to a press note issued by ATS, Rajasthan, on Saturday, Boxer “had entered the United States from Mexico through a dunki route after fleeing Guyana, where Rajasthan’s Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) had tracked him down.”“The final breakthrough came via the ATS’s foreign network. ATS had already learned that Boxer had entered the US illegally and was living in California. On that information, Interpol notices were sent and the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained him,” it added.The process to bring Boxer to India is underway, the note read.Also Read | Lawrence gang member who targeted Rohit Shetty, Ranveer Singh had taken ‘Dunki’ route to USHailing from a modest farming family in rural Rajasthan, Hari once aspired to join the police or the Army, and prepared for competitive exams in Jaipur.Here, he also worked as a boxing coach, before transitioning into small fights and petty crime. Later, this escalated into organised crime, robbery and extortion with the Bishnoi gang, earning him the moniker ‘Harry Boxer’.Story continues below this adAfter Bishnoi fell out with fellow gang members Goldy Brar and Rohit Godara, Boxer was asked to oversee the gang’s operations.“Currently, he is handling all the operations in India. His growing prominence became visible once again in connection with two shootings in Delhi and Haryana earlier this year,” an official said.“Two audio clips of Boxer – one linked to a shooting at Bollywood singer Guru Randhawa’s gym in West Delhi’s Paschim Vihar and the other to the murder of gym trainer Kapil Redhu outside his gym in Hansi, Haryana, were found during the investigation recently,” the official added.According to police, Boxer claimed responsibility for both attacks.In February, Boxer allegedly issued threats to Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh and director Rohit Shetty. Three voice notes, purportedly from him, were received by Ranveer’s manager. In one of them, he demands Rs 20 crore as extortion money. The voice notes were sent a week after shots were fired outside Shetty’s Mumbai home.Story continues below this adThe Bishnoi man first drew international attention in August last year, a day after shots were fired at comedian Kapil Sharma’s cafe in Canada.An audio clip attributed to Boxer surfaced soon after, in which he allegedly issued threats to the Bollywood industry, warning producers, directors and actors against working with Salman Khan. In the same message, he claimed affiliation with the Lawrence gang.“He is an active member of the extortion racket run by the Lawrence gang and was a key weapon supplier to them. He would collect extortion money using WhatsApp, Signal and VoIP platforms over VPN, issuing threats to traders in Jaipur; if a trader refused to pay, gang members would open fire at the person or his family,” the ATS press note read.According to investigators, Boxer has been absconding since 2022. His departure to the US was recorded on April 25, 2023, at Delhi airport. Multiple attempts were made to trace Boxer abroad.Story continues below this ad“Pressure for his deportation was built up through the CBI’s Interpol desk. In November 2024, the Interpol issued a Red Corner Notice against him. His location was traced to Guyana, and in February 2025 a provisional arrest request was sent, but during the same period, Boxer fled Guyana, transiting through Mexico, and reached the US,” it said.The Rajasthan AGTF continued to pursue him. After obtaining his exact location in California during December 2024 and July 2026, nine more Interpol notices were sent to the US, with continuous pressure for his deportation through the Interpol wing of the AGTF, Rajasthan.“Reliable inputs later revealed that he had left India on passport number and was continuing to issue threats for the gang,” the note said.Mahender Singh Manral is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. He is k... Read More