New Delhi: Police in Mumbai have begun the process to seek the extradition to India of Anmol Bishnoi in connection with his alleged involvement in the firing of shots in front of Salman Khan’s home, reports said.
This came after US officials informed their Indian counterparts a few months ago that Bishnoi, brother of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, was in America, the Indian Express cited an unnamed official as saying.
Indian authorities had got a red corner notice – which the Interpol circulates to law enforcement agencies around the world – issued for Bishnoi in connection with the firing case prior to this, the official also reportedly said.
On October 16, the Mumbai police’s crime branch submitted before a special court in the city that it intended to have Bishnoi extradited, a senior official told the Express, which also cited officials as saying it is unclear whether Bishnoi is currently in US custody.
“The investigation agency intends to initiate the extradition procedure of fugitive criminal Anmol Lovinder Singh Bishnoi alias Bhanu alias Bhaiji. Hence, he [deputy commissioner of police (detection) of the crime branch] is permitted to swear the affidavit for further necessary action,” the Times of India quoted the court as saying on October 16.
ANI reported that a senior Mumbai cop said police were waiting for court documents to “complete the formalities, after which a formal proposal will be sent to the [Union] government for further action”.
Two men fired shots in front of Khan’s Mumbai home in the early morning of April 14. Bishnoi purportedly claimed responsibility for the firing soon after in a Facebook post. Khan had earlier received threats from Lawrence Bishnoi.
Both Bishnoi brothers are reportedly named as accused in the chargesheet in the case.
Reports have also cited police as saying that Bishnoi was in touch with the men who fatally shot former Bandra West MLA Baba Siddique in Mumbai last month, while Bishnoi is also accused of involvement in the killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala in 2022.
The Express reported that Bishnoi is accused of conducting “major operations” by Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang – in connection with which the National Investigation Agency has also named him – after his brother was jailed.
The NIA offers Rs 10 lakh for information leading to Bishnoi’s arrest.
About two days before the Mumbai police is said to have begun the process to seek Bishnoi’s extradition, Canada’s federal police alleged that its investigations found that Indian diplomats in the country used members of Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang to intimidate Canadians of Indian origin.
The announcement came amid a fresh and unprecedented deterioration in Indo-Canadian ties, with New Delhi and Ottawa expelling the top diplomats stationed in the other’s country over Canada’s allegations that Indian government agents were involved in the murder of pro-Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
