Delhi police arrested Lawrence Bishnoi, the jailed gangster suspected in the murder of Punjabi singer and Congress leader Sidhu Moosewala, on Tuesday in connection with a case filed against him and his accomplices in the capital last year.
The Delhi police special cell brought Bishnoi before a city court after arresting him from Tihar’s jail number 8. The court sent him into custody for three days.
Bishnoi’s involvement in the murder of Moosewala will also be investigated during his custody, according to a senior officer who requested anonymity. Police suspect some of his accomplices in Delhi might have helped with the crime.
Punjab’s police claimed on Sunday night that Goldy Brar, a gangster based in Canada, and Bishnoi were suspects in the shooting death of Moosewala in Jawaharke village in Mansa district.
A police official familiar with the development said Bishnoi had been arrested in Narela in connection with an earlier arms smuggling case. “The weapon used by a gunman in Narela allegedly came from Bishnoi, so he has been charged.”
According to the officer, Bishnoi will be questioned about his involvement in the murder case of singer Kala Rana in light of new murder charges against him. His accomplices – Sandeep, alias Kala Jathedi, and Kala Jathedi – are already in custody.”
Aside from the arms smuggling case, the two are also accused of criminal activities in Delhi under the MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act), the officer said.
HT’s repeated calls and a text message for comment from HGS Dhaliwal were not answered.
According to reports, on Tuesday, through his lawyer, Bishnoi petitioned the Delhi high court for blocking the Punjab police from taking custody of him after a city court refused to hear a similar petition a day earlier.
On Wednesday, the matter was listed before Justice Swarn Kanta Sharma after the acting chief justice and justice Sachin Datta ruled that the application be considered urgent.
“We will question Bishnoi for his part in the singer’s murder case as he faces fresh allegations of murder. We have already arrested his two accomplices, Sandeep alias Kala Jathedi and Kala Rana.”
The officers were named in a MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) case as well for their criminal activities in Delhi, in addition to the arms smuggling case, the officer said.
HT’s repeated calls and a text message to HGS Dhaliwal for a comment went unanswered.
On Tuesday, Bishnoi’s lawyer filed a petition with the Delhi high court seeking to block Punjab police from taking custody of him, claiming fear for his life, a day after a city court declined to hear a similar request.
The matter was listed for Wednesday before Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Sachin Datta. The case has been listed before Justice Swarn Kanta Sharma.
Vicky Midhukhera, a Youth Akali Dal leader, was killed.