Gangster Anmol Bishnoi arrested after US deportation, sent to 11-day NIA custody

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday arrested Anmol Bishnoi, brother and close aide of dreaded gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, following his deportation from the US to India.

A Delhi court on Wednesday sent Anmol Bishnoi, an accused in the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique, to 11 days of NIA custody.

Special Judge Prashant Sharma sent Anmol to NIA custody on the agency’s plea seeking 15-day custodial interrogation of the accused.

Speaking to reporters outside court, special public prosecutor Rahul Tyagi said the accused will be produced before the court again on November 29 after completion of his NIA custody.

“He is a very important member of the terror-gangster syndicate. He has some very important information. He was running the syndicate, and was a key member,” the prosecutor said.

He said NIA sought his custody on the grounds of unearthing the modus operandi, source of funds, involvement of other people and operation of the syndicate.

“We are trying to find how he fled India,” Tyagi said.

There was heavy security, including RAF deployment, in and around the court premises. Mediapersons were not allowed in the court proceedings.

Absconding since 2022, Anmol is the 19th accused to be arrested in connection with the terror-syndicate led by his jailed brother.

He faces at least 18 criminal cases in India, including the conspiracy to murder former Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Baba Siddique, the April 2024 firing outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan's Bandra residence, and the May 2022 killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala.

A Punjab Police special investigation team (SIT) had earlier stated that Anmol was a conspirator in Moosewala’s murder and had fled India using a fake passport just weeks before the killing.

Meanwhile, he was chargesheeted by the NIA in March 2023 after investigations established that he had actively aided designated individual terrorist Goldy Brar and Lawrence Bishnoi in the commission of various acts of terrorism in the country during the 2020-2023 period

The NIA said Anmol continued to “run terror syndicates” and execute terrorist acts from the US for the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, using its operatives on the ground.

Investigations also revealed that he provided shelter and logistical support to the gang’s shooters and operatives, and engaged in extortion in India from foreign soil with the help of other gangsters.

The NIA is probing the case as part of its efforts to destroy the nexus between terrorists, gangsters and arms smugglers, including their infrastructure and funding channels.

(With PTI)