New Delhi: Anmol Bishnoi, a fugitive and brother of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, has been detained by authorities in California, United States, ThePrint has learnt.
Although no official communication has been sent so far to the Indian authorities on if he was arrested, sources in the security establishment said that they have “communicated with their US counterparts” and confirmed Bishnoi’s detention by the US immigration department over “forged documents”.
Bishnoi had fled to the US on a fake passport with the name “Bhanu Pratap, son of Rakesh”. Sources also said that they are in touch with the Federal Bureau of Investigation over the detention and have shared details of his fake passport with the authorities.
Allegedly involved in three high-profile cases—the killing of Sidhu Moosewala, the firing outside Salman Khan’s house, and the killing of Baba Siddique—Anmol grew prominent over the last three years. He is widely known as Lawrence’s proxy in the Bishnoi-Brar-Godara crime syndicate.
According to the source, Bishnoi was detained in California three days ago. “We have information that Anmol was detained by authorities in California last week. Although it is still unclear if he would be deported, we are in touch with US authorities till we get more clarity,” the source said.
Mumbai police is in the process of moving for Anmol’s extradition. Last month, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) declared a reward of Rs 10 lakh for any information that might lead to his arrest.
Anmol has over 18 cases against him, including under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, for allegedly raising funds and recruiting youths to carry out terrorist activities.
According to sources, Anmol fled to the US on a fake passport in 2022 after Moosewala’s killing and since then has been running operations for his brother’s gang from there.
He is wanted in other cases registered by local police, including one in Rajasthan for an alleged attempt to murder and criminal conspiracy in a case that saw him arrested and jailed in 2017.
In July, a Mumbai court also issued a non-bailable warrant against Anmol.
“Whether it is delivery of arms or recruiting new boys to carry out crimes, like what we saw in the Salman Khan shooting case, for which he directed the shooters on how to execute the operation, Anmol has been running operations sitting in the US,” the source said.
“He is in regular touch with gang leaders lodged in jails, and they threaten businessmen and artists to extort money. Their operations span Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh,” the source added.
On 14 April this year, two bike-borne men fired multiple shots outside Salman Khan’s residence in Mumbai. That same day, Anmol claimed responsibility for the shooting in a purported Facebook post. Within 24 hours, the shooters were arrested from Bhuj, Gujarat.
“Anmol has a very typical style of functioning. He would quote verses from the Bhagavad Gita and Krishna to brainwash youngsters and assure them that God is with them. He told the shooters involved in firings outside Salman Khan’s house that if they accomplished that, they would become popular, and the newspapers would splash their names and that they should execute the operation confidently,” the source said.
Anmol is also named in Baba Siddique’s murder case and allegedly arranged the pistols used in the attack. A three-time MLA, Siddique was shot outside his son Zeeshan’s office in Mumbai’s Bandra East on 12 October this year.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
A request to the US authorities – “Please do not send him to India. We don’t want him here. You may send him to Canada. The Canadians would be more than happy to give him a PR, maybe expedite his citizenship application too.”
India has more than its share of scumbags. We don’t want any more of such filthy gangsters. Canada can have him.