One of India's most wanted fugitives, Haryana gangster Himanshu Bhau, is in US custody. Bhau — whose real name is Himanshu Ritoliya and who hails from Rohtak, Haryana — and his associate Neeraj Faridpuria are being held by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Henderson Detention Center in Nevada, and India is pushing to bring him back quickly.
File photo: The Las Vegas Strip. Bhau was tracked to Las Vegas before his arrest. (Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
How He Was Caught
Bhau was tracked to Las Vegas and arrested on Thursday, October 22, according to the Indo-Asian News Service (IANS). The US government's online detainee locator, checked on Friday night, lists two Indian-born men — Himanshu Sigroha and Neeraj Kaushik — as being in ICE custody at the Henderson Detention Center, 18 East Basic Road, Henderson, Nevada, outside Las Vegas. Their cases are handled by ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) office in Las Vegas. Officials identify the two men as Bhau and his associate Neeraj Faridpuria.
Media reports say the arrest followed a joint operation involving the FBI, Indian central agencies and the Haryana Special Task Force. But there is an important caveat: the ICE listing points to immigration custody only — no US criminal charges against either man have been found, and neither ICE nor the FBI has issued a public statement on the arrests.
Who Is Himanshu Bhau?
Bhau is a Haryana-born gangster accused of running a criminal network involved in violent offences and extortion across Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, with traders and other prominent individuals reportedly among its targets. He is described as a rival of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.
He has been the subject of an Interpol Red Notice since August 2023 and is wanted in 18 cases in India, including murder, attempted murder, extortion, intimidation and forgery.
His gang has been linked to several high-profile crimes in north India. The gang claimed responsibility for the firing outside the Gurugram home of YouTuber Elvish Yadav in August 2025. Media reports have also linked the network to a targeted killing inside a Burger King outlet in west Delhi, a firing incident outside Elvish Yadav's residence, and shooting attacks at car showrooms in Naraina and Tilak Nagar.
File photo: An ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officer. Bhau's case is being handled by ICE's ERO office in Las Vegas. (Photo: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Deportation, Not Extradition — Why It Matters
India is seeking to expedite Bhau's deportation proceedings, and a team of officers may travel to the United States to support the process. Authorities are exploring deportation alongside the possibility of formal extradition — the applicable procedure will depend on the legal grounds for detention, immigration proceedings and the requirements of US and Indian law.
Indian investigators have increasingly turned to US immigration proceedings rather than formal extradition to bring back wanted gangsters: removal through the immigration system has often proved faster than extradition under the 1997 India-US extradition treaty, which requires a lengthy court process.
Faridpuria was picked up after he removed an ankle monitor. He had been detained earlier this year and released on bail. The fate of both men now depends on their immigration proceedings in the US, including any asylum claims or relief requests they might present before an immigration judge.
The Anmol Bishnoi Precedent
The most recent precedent is that of Anmol Bishnoi, who was detained in the United States in 2024 and deported to India on November 19, 2025, where he was arrested by the National Investigation Agency upon arrival. Indian agencies will be hoping Bhau's case follows the same, faster path.
FAQs
Who is Himanshu Bhau?
Himanshu Bhau, real name Himanshu Ritoliya, is a Haryana gangster from Rohtak, wanted in 18 cases in India and under an Interpol Red Notice since August 2023. He is described as a rival of Lawrence Bishnoi.
Where is he detained?
At the Henderson Detention Center in Henderson, Nevada, outside Las Vegas, in ICE custody. His case is handled by ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations office in Las Vegas.
Is he facing charges in the US?
No US criminal charges against him have been found. He is in immigration custody, and neither ICE nor the FBI has issued a public statement on the arrest.
Will India get him back?
India is pushing for fast deportation through the immigration system, which is usually quicker than formal extradition. A team of officers may travel to the US. His case could still be slowed by asylum or relief claims before an immigration judge.
What crimes is he linked to?
Cases including murder, attempted murder, extortion, intimidation and forgery, plus alleged links to the Elvish Yadav home firing in Gurugram (August 2025), a Burger King outlet killing in west Delhi, and showroom shootings in Naraina and Tilak Nagar.
Sources: IANS, Times of India, Hindustan Times, Mirror Now, Nation Press.