Jalandhar Police detains US-wanted fugitive Manjit Singh Bedi linked to SNAP fraud case

Jalandhar Commissionerate Police detained Manjit Singh Bedi, a fugitive wanted in the US in connection with an alleged SNAP benefits fraud case, Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said on Friday. Bedi was reportedly placed on the US Most-Wanted Fraudsters list over allegations of defrauding the US government of more than $600,000 through a scheme involving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. According to the Punjab DGP, Bedi allegedly fled to India via Canada in April 2026 to evade US law enforcement. "In a major breakthrough, Jalandhar Commissionerate Police apprehends Manjit Singh Bedi, a wanted fugitive linked to a US-based benefits fraud case. Bedi was reportedly placed on the US Most-Wanted Fraudsters list in connection with a SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits fraud case in the #USA and had allegedly fled to #India via #Canada in April 2026 to evade the law," the DGP posted on X. The FBI had earlier alleged that Bedi, an India-born naturalised US citizen, operated Asian Grocery Store in Tacoma, Washington, where he used customers' Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards to process transactions without providing food. He allegedly gave SNAP participants cash instead and kept half of the proceeds. “Instead of selling participants food, Bedi is alleged to have swiped their cards and given them cash,” the FBI said in its wanted notice. Bedi was indicted in the US on charges of wire fraud and SNAP benefits fraud. He was initially allowed to appear in court without being arrested and was ordered to surrender his passport and remain in Washington state, but the FBI said he later fled to Canada and then India. A federal arrest warrant was issued against him on May 21, 2026, in the US District Court for the Western District of Washington after he allegedly violated the conditions of his supervision. The FBI had offered a reward of up to $150,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction.

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The Punjab DGP said the police force remains committed to tracking fugitives and tackling transnational organised crime. “Punjab Police remains relentless in tracking down fugitives and dismantling transnational organised crime networks, ensuring that no one can evade justice by crossing borders,” he said. In a separate development earlier on Friday, the State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) Amritsar and Counter Intelligence Amritsar arrested six people in two operations targeting alleged weapons and narcotics smuggling modules. Police recovered 2.9 kg of heroin, eight high-end pistols and six live cartridges, besides impounding a car and a motorcycle allegedly used in the smuggling activities. Preliminary investigation indicated that the accused were allegedly involved in cross-border smuggling and received weapons and narcotics consignments through drones for distribution among criminal elements in Punjab, the DGP said. Further investigation is underway to establish the network's forward and backward linkages.

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