Indian man charged with serious hate crime for threatening Sikhs in US

Washington: An Indian-American in Texas has been charged with federal hate crimes and threatening members of a Sikh non-profit organization.

Bhushan Athale, 48, faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for threatening to use a dangerous weapon, according to a statement from the Justice Department.

He also faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for the offense of intimidation. Additionally, he could be fined up to $250,000 for both charges.

According to the complaint filed against Athale on September 17, 2022, he allegedly called individuals from an organization advocating for the civil rights of Sikhs in the U.S.

He sent seven voicemails in which he allegedly expressed hatred towards the Sikhs working in the organization and threatened to injure them with razors or kill them.

In March, Athale allegedly called members of the organization again and threatened to target the Sikh and Muslim communities in two voicemails.