New Delhi [India], November 20 (HBTV): The Special NIA Court in New Delhi on Wednesday granted eleven days’ custody of Anmol Bishnoi, brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, to the National Investigation Agency following his deportation from the US.
The agency alleged that the ‘criminal syndicate’ involving Bishnoi had conspired with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and its operatives to raise funds, recruit youth and carry out terrorist acts in Delhi and other parts of the country. The NIA stated that these aspects ‘need to be unearthed’.
Special Judge Prashant Sharma granted eleven days of custody after hearing submissions from both sides. The agency had sought fifteen days’ custody. Anmol Bishnoi is scheduled to be produced before the court on November 29.
The court observed that the investigation must determine the accused’s role in the alleged conspiracy, incriminating evidence, modus operandi, funding sources and details of social media accounts used to claim responsibility for terror activities linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
Special Public Prosecutor Rahul Tyagi, along with Public Prosecutor Kushdeep Gaur, represented the NIA.
The agency reiterated that the syndicate conspired with BKI to raise funds, recruit youth and execute or plan major crimes, including targeted killings aimed at creating fear and advancing the objectives of BKI, which is listed as a terrorist organisation under the UA(P)A.
The NIA added that, apart from the main charge-sheet, four supplementary charge-sheets had been filed. It informed the court that Anmol Bishnoi had been declared a proclaimed offender on January 17, 2025. He was arrested at around 2:30 pm on Wednesday upon arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport.
On Tuesday, the NIA had arrested Bishnoi after his deportation from the US. The agency argued that, given the pending investigation and the accused’s absconding status, police custody was necessary.
On the other hand, advocates Rajni, Deepak Nanda and Nishant Rana, appearing for the accused, opposed the custody plea. They argued that the NIA already possessed all evidence, and no further information from the accused warranted police custody. They added that the accused was willing to cooperate and had roots in society. In the alternative, they requested compliance with the D.K. Basu v State of West Bengal guidelines if custody was granted.
The NIA stated that Anmol Bishnoi, absconding since 2022, is the nineteenth accused arrested in the case involving the terror syndicate allegedly led by Lawrence Bishnoi. He was chargesheeted in March 2023 for aiding designated terrorist Goldy Brar and Lawrence Bishnoi in acts of terrorism between 2020 and 2023.
Investigators alleged that Anmol operated closely with gang associates from the US, providing shelter and logistical support to shooters and operatives on the ground. He was also accused of extortion in India from abroad and has been linked to multiple high-profile cases, including the murder of Siddu Moosewala, the murder of MLA Siddiqui in Mumbai and the firing incident outside the residence of actor Salman Khan.
(ANI)