Screengrab of the viral video in which jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi is purportedly seen interacting with Pakistan's gangster Shahzad Bhatti.
Credit: X/@bsmajithia
Ahmedabad: A video purportedly showing gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, lodged in Sabarmati Central Prison here since August 2023, speaking to Pakistan's gangster Shahzad Bhatti on a video call surfaced on Tuesday, prompting the Gujarat government to order a probe.
In the 19-second video, Bishnoi is purportedly seen extending wishes on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha (observed in India on June 17) to Bhatti, who tells the former the festival will be celebrated in Pakistan the following day. On hearing this, Bishnoi tells Bhatti he will call him tomorrow to extend Eid wishes.
PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
As the clip went viral on social media platforms, the state government stepped in and ordered a probe.
Government spokesperson and education minister Rushikesh Patel said the state Home department, which falls under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, has already ordered an inquiry into the contents of the video.
"I learnt about this issue just today (Tuesday) morning. Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi has already ordered a probe into it and asked the authorities to go into detail. Every aspect related to the purported video, such as whether it is new or an old one, will be investigated," said Rushikesh Patel.
Bishnoi was brought to Ahmedabad in August 2023 by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) to probe his role in a cross-border drug smuggling case. After the completion of his remand, he was sent to judicial custody and lodged in the Sabarmati Central Prison.
According to the Punjab police, Bishnoi was the mastermind behind the 2022 murder of Sidhu Moosewala, a popular Punjabi singer.
Police in Mumbai have also found that the Bishnoi gang was behind the firing outside actor Salman Khan’s home in Bandra on April 14, 2024.