Efforts underway to get Anmol Bishnoi from US, says govt

Over a week after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for the arrest of fugitive gangster Anmol Bishnoi, the government on Saturday indicated that efforts were underway for his extradition from the US.

Responding to queries on the gangster’s extradition, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “An investigation is going on and the matter comes under the legal domain. There are established procedures and action will be taken accordingly.” Anmol is the younger brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and is learnt to be operating from the US. He has been named as an accused in some high-profile crimes, including the Baba Siddique murder case, an official said.

Probe agencies said a Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court had already issued a non-bailable warrant against Anmol. In addition, there existed a red corner notice against him.

Sources said once legal formalities were completed, a formal proposal would be sent to the Centre for further action on his extradition. Apart from the arrest warrant, the police needed certified copies of court documents to formalise the process, said officials.

The NIA had announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for Anmol’s arrest on October 25. He is charged in two NIA cases registered in 2022. Both Lawrence and Anmol have also been named as wanted accused in the April 14 firing incident outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s Galaxy Apartment in Mumbai’s Bandra area.