The Indian government has said that it has not received an official extradition request from the US against a Punjab Police officer accused of conspiring with an international criminal gang to extort a US-based family.

While responding to a question by Shiromani Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said that the American Authorities have not yet submitted the formal request for the extradition of Inspector Gurinderjit Singh.

The minister added that the Indian government came to know about the issue after reading the Press Conference of the US Department of Justice on July 7 which announced the "Operation Hard Ball" and related indictments.

According to the US prosecutors, Singh was allegedly in conspiracy with the criminal gang Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and had demanded $400,000 US Dollars from an Indian-origin family residing in Los Angeles. The accused was allegedly threatening to stage a murder case against the family members in Punjab if they do not pay the demanded amount.

Singh was immediately suspended from his post as the Station House Officer (SHO) of Tanda Police Station upon the allegations and was arrested by the local Police on July 17, following an internal inquiry. He is currently facing disciplinary action initiated by the police department.

This comes after the United States First Assistant Attorney Bill Essayli during the July 7 press conference in Los Angeles said that criminal charges have been filed against the Inspector and that Washington will seek his extradition from India.