Deported from US, Anmol Bishnoi in 11-day NIA custody

The NIA, which had sought Anmol’s custody for 15 days, told the court that it needed Anmol’s custody to collect more evidence to unearth the conspiracy in various cases against him.

The agency also said it needed to find out "details", including the locations and identities of other members of the Bishnoi gang.

Anmol, the younger brother of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, is the key accused in the murder of Siddique.

Anmol arrived in India on Wednesday afternoon after being “removed” from the US. He was produced at the Patiala House Court around 5 pm, amid heavy security, including RAF deployment.

Earlier, the NIA arrested Anmol on his arrival from the US.

Absconding since 2022, Anmol is the 19th accused to be arrested for involvement in the terror-syndicate led by Lawrence.

Anmol was chargesheeted by the NIA in March 2023 after the investigation into a case 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.

Operating closely with various Bishnoi gang associates, Anmol continued to run terror syndicates and execute terrorist acts from the US for the gang, using its operatives on the ground.

The investigation revealed that Anmol had provided shelter and logistic support to the gang’s shooters and ground operatives.

He was also engaged in extortion in India from foreign soil with the help of other gangsters.

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

According to officials, Anmol is facing at least 18 criminal cases in India. Among these are the conspiracy to murder Siddique, the firing outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan's Bandra home and the killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala.

Anmol's role in the May 2022 murder of Moosewala remains one of the major cases against him. A Punjab Police special investigation team (SIT) had in 2023 said Anmol was a conspirator in the Moosewala murder and that he had fled India using a fake passport just a few weeks before the killing.

According to the SIT chargesheet, Anmol was part of the conspiracy to kill Moosewala from the beginning and had arranged support before fleeing the country.

Among the main cases against Anmol is the Siddique murder. The NCP leader was shot by three assailants in Mumbai on October 12 last year. Shubham Lonkar, a suspected member of the Bishnoi gang, claimed responsibility for the murder in a social media post later.

Siddique's son Zeeshan said Anmol had been named in the former Maharashtra minister's murder. He termed Anmol as a "threat to society".

Zeeshan added that the family used to receive regular notifications about Anmol, as a part of which, he was informed by the US government that he had been "removed" from the country on November 18.

Anmol is also an accused in the case relating to firing outside the Bollywood actor Salman Khan's Mumbai residence in April 2024. The attack is suspected to have been carried out at the Bishnoi network's behest.

The first case against Anmol was registered under the Arms Act in 2012, when he was just 15 years old.