Sidhu Moosewala murder conspiracy: Is Lawrence Bishnoi a pawn or the mastermind?

Jupinderjit Singh

Chandigarh, June 24

Singer Sidhu Moosewala’s murder conspiracy begins and ends with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi only, said ADGP Pramod Ban, chief of the Anti-Gangster Task Force of Punjab Police in an interview with The Tribune today.

He was responding to a query on whether Lawrence Bishnoi was a pawn or the mastermind in the conspiracy. This becomes vital in the backdrop of interpretation of Moosewala’s songs where he espoused gun culture but also made several political statements.

His latest song titled ‘SYL’ released on June 23 talks directly about the issues confronting Punjab and Sikhs in particular. This has led to questions that whether his killing was a political conspiracy. The song has already become an internet sensation. The singer has shown visuals of bullet marks on the Akal Takht besides photos of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and a militant, Balwinder Jatana. He had mentioned name of Jatana specifically with a reference that one may have to become Jatana again.

Though Moosewala had become member of the Indian National Congress and contested elections unsuccessfully, the SYL song and the narrative is opposite to the party’s policies and line.

“As per police investigation so far, Lawrence Bishnoi is the mastermind. He began the planning in August last year after the murder of youth Akali leader Vicky Middukhera and got it executed on May 29,” Ban said.

After announcing arrest of 32 members of the Bishnoi gang, with 13 among them directly linked to the Mossewala’s killing, the ADGP said the heat was now on the four shooters still at large.

“The Delhi police have arrested Priyawarat Fauji and Keshav but four others including Manu Kusa of Moga and Jagroop Roopa of Amritsar, Deepak Mundi and Ankit are at large,” Ban said.

The ADGP said one of the major worrying revelation in the conspiracy was that Lawrence got arranged fake passports  for his brother Anmol and key aide Sachin Bishnoi to send them abroad well before the murder, “Our investigation suggests the two got fake passports made  from Delhi and Haryana. It is important to bust this syndicate,” he said.