The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has named Punjab Police officer Gurinderjit Singh Nagra in an alleged cross-border extortion case, accusing him of attempting to extort $400,000 (around Rs 3.3 crore) from an Indian-origin family living in the US by threatening to implicate them in a false murder case in India.The allegations surfaced after the FBI publicly detailed the case and released a video statement outlining the investigation. The matter has since triggered an internal probe by the Punjab Police and sparked a political row in the state.Who is Gurinderjit Singh Nagra?Nagra is a Punjab Police officer who was serving as the Station House Officer (SHO) of Tanda police station in Hoshiarpur district when the allegations emerged.According to the FBI, Nagra allegedly demanded $400,000 from an Indian-origin family residing in the US, claiming he would otherwise implicate them in a fabricated murder case in Punjab.Following the disclosure of the allegations, Punjab Police removed Nagra from his post and attached him to the Police Lines pending further inquiry.What are the FBI’s allegations?According to information released by the FBI, the officer allegedly targeted an Indian-origin family living in the United States and threatened to register a false murder case against them in India unless they paid the demanded amount.The FBI has published details of the investigation on its Los Angeles platform and released a video explaining the allegations.The US agency has not indicated that the allegations have been proven in court, and the matter remains under investigation.Punjab Police order probePunjab Police have initiated a departmental inquiry into the allegations.Naveen Singla, DIG, Jalandhar Range, said the inquiry had been shifted out of Hoshiarpur to ensure an impartial investigation.”As soon as we received information about the matter, the inquiry was transferred from Hoshiarpur to Jalandhar to ensure a fair and impartial investigation.”The probe has been entrusted to Vineet Ahlawat, SP (Detective), Jalandhar, who has been asked to conduct a detailed investigation and submit a departmental report at the earliest.Political reactionsThe development has also drawn political attention.SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia said the allegations had tarnished the image of the Punjab Police.”Earlier, the FBI used to pursue gangsters like Goldy Brar and Lawrence Bishnoi. Now, a Punjab Police officer himself has come under the FBI’s radar. Such incidents damage the international reputation of the Punjab Police.”Punjab Police say unaware of FBI’s interest in Miani murder caseThe Punjab Police have said it has no information on why the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has reportedly taken an interest in the Miani murder case, suggesting that the accused may have approached the US agency in an attempt to shield themselves from legal proceedings in India.Speaking to the media, Davinder Singh, DSP, Tanda, said the police had not received any official communication from the FBI regarding the case.”We do not know why the FBI has taken up this matter. It is possible that the accused approached the FBI with the intention of protecting themselves from the consequences of the murder case registered against them,” he said.His remarks came amid the FBI’s allegations against Punjab Police officer Gurinderjit Singh Nagra in an alleged cross-border extortion case linked to a US-based Indian-origin family. Punjab Police has already initiated a departmental inquiry into the allegations, while maintaining that the matter is under investigation.Stockton-to-Tanda trail: FBI says murder case was allegedly used in Rs 3.3 crore extortion plotAccording to the FBI indictment, the alleged conspiracy stretched from Stockton, California, to Tanda in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur district, with a real murder case allegedly being used to extort money from a US-based Indian-origin family.The indictment alleges that in April 2026, Gurlal Singh, a 22-year-old Indian national living illegally in Stockton, California, and allegedly linked to the Bhagwanpuria gang, shared details of a California-based target—identified in court documents with Punjab Police officer Gurinderjit Singh Nagra.Murder case allegedly used as leverageThe extortion plot was allegedly built around the murder of Balvinder Singh, owner of Satkartaar Hardware Shop in Miani village under Tanda.On January 15, 2026, three unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants allegedly opened fire at the shop, killing Balvinder Singh and injuring Lakhwinder Singh.Following the incident, an FIR was registered at Tanda police station under Sections 103 (murder) and 109 (attempt to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant provisions of the Arms Act.A day later, according to the indictment, gangsters Jashal Chambal and Gurlal Rudiana claimed responsibility for the killing through a social media post uploaded from Rudiana’s account.Alleged extortion demandThe FBI alleges that Inspector Nagra later used details of the murder investigation to threaten a California-based family.According to the indictment, on April 13, 2026, Nagra contacted the father of the intended target (identified in court documents as Victim 3) and allegedly threatened to implicate the entire family, including Victim 2 and his sister (Victim 4) in Balvinder Singh’s murder.Three days later, on April 16, he allegedly demanded $400,000 (around Rs 3.3 crore), warning that if the payment was not made, all three family members would be formally named as accused in the murder case.