Sidhu Moosewala murder investigation: Planning to kill Punjabi singer began in August last year, says Anti-Gangster Task Force chief

A Punjab Police team is in the National Capital for the questioning of arrested shooter Priyawarat and others who are in the custody of Delhi Police. The ADGP said no third degree was used on Bishnoi and some of his relatives were also allowed to meet him.

Lawrence has also admitted to using mobile phone in Tihar Jail. Since the murder, about 35 ransom calls in the name of Lawrence and Goldy Brar have been made but these were done by local criminals or conmen who made calls via Internet. Some calls originated from Jarkhand and MP, said the ADGP.

The motive behind the killing, as admitted by Lawrence Bishnoi, was to avenge young Akali leader Vicky Middukhera's murder. ADGP Ban said that as per police investigation, Moosewala's hand in Middu Khera's killing was not established. "This is just an assumption or suspicion by the Lawrence gang," he said.

We are waiting for forensic analysis of weapons recovered from shooters by Delhi Police to state if these  were used in Moosewala's killing or not, the ADGP said.

We are going full throttle after this gang. We have arrested 147 gangsters in total since the AGTF was formed. 37 modules of gangsters have been busted. More than 130 weapons of different make besides ammunition have been recovered, the ADGP said.

Ban said police have got details of associates, weapons suppliers, financers and others helping this gang in various activities. Different district police have arrested 19 persons, who are linked with this gang, he added.

Fake passports made outside Punjab were used by Sachin and Anmol. We have started proceedings for their extradition, says ADGP Ban.

Lawrence had sent his brother Anmol abroad in April this year for his safety in the follow-up of the murder which was in the planning stage. Sachin Bishnoi was already abroad. After the murder, Sachin gave an interview to a media channel, claiming he had shot at Moosewala. "This was aimed to mislead the police," said Ban, adding that "the idea was that the police would search Sachin and others will escape easily."

The planning to kill Moosewala began in August last year. At least three recce were done prior to the murder. In January, another group of shooters had visited the Moosewala’s place.

Disclosing questioning of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, ADGP Ban said he has confessed to hatching the conspiracy with Brar, Sachin Bishnoi (Thapan) and Lawrence's younger brother Anmol.

Nikku, along with Kekda, is a key cog in the conspiracy. Both conducted recce of the area, followed Moosewala and gave signal to the waiting shooters in Bolero and other cars besides calling Goldy Brar and Sachin Bishnoi to give them real-time updates.

ADGP Pramod Ban said accused Kekda and Baldev Nikku saw Moosewala coming out of his house sans police security, took selfies with him, and reported his movement real time via video call to Goldy Brar and Sachin Bishnoi.