Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's brother Anmol, wanted by NIA, Mumbai cops, held in US: Report

Mumbai: Jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's brother Anmol, wanted for the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique and firing outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan's home here, has been detained in the United States, Mumbai police sources said on Monday.

Anmol, who was believed to be living in Canada and making regular travels to the US, is the younger brother of Lawrence Bishnoi, accused of running a global criminal syndicate despite being in jail.

The sources did not provide further details related to his detention.

Anmol Bishnoi is wanted in connection with several criminal cases, including the murder of NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Siddique on October 12 in Mumbai's Bandra area. He was also allegedly behind the firing outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan's home, located in the Bandra area, on April 14 this year, according to the sources.

Earlier this month, an official said the Mumbai police have sent a proposal to the Centre for extradition of Anmol Bishnoi, who has also been named in an FIR filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), India's counter-terrorism law enforcement agency.

The proposal was sent after the US authorities informed the Mumbai police about Anmol Bishnoi’s presence in their country, the official said on November 2.

In October, the Mumbai police’s crime branch moved a special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court, stating it intends to “initiate the extradition procedure of fugitive criminal Anmol Bishnoi”.

It filed an affidavit “for further necessary action”, which was allowed by the special court.

The Mumbai police have sent the proposal for Anmol Bishnoi’s extradition to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which will then be forwarded to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the official had said.

Both Lawrence and Anmol Bishnoi, who hail from Fazilka in Punjab, have been named as wanted accused in a chargesheet filed by police in connection with the firing outside Salman Khan’s Galaxy Apartment. Two motorbike-borne men, Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal, had allegedly carried out the firing.

The NIA recently announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for information leading to the arrest of Anmol Bishnoi. His brother Lawrence Bishnoi is currently lodged in Sabarmati Central Jail, Ahmedabad.

A lookout circular was issued in April against Anmol Bishnoi, who had claimed responsibility for the firing incident outside Salman Khan’s residence.

An FIR was also registered by the NIA against nine accused, including the Bishnoi brothers, in August 2022 for being part of a conspiracy to “raise funds, recruit youth to carry out terrorist acts in the Union Territory of Delhi and other parts of the country” besides “targeted killings of prominent persons”.