CHANDIGARH: The US Immigration Department had last week detained 26-year-old Anmol Bishnoi alias Bhanu younger brother of notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, in California as one of his travel documents was reportedly found to be forged. He had reportedly fled India using fake documents.
He is likely to be first handed over to the Canadian authorities in connection with the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. He is also facing more than 32 criminal cases registered against him in India related to kidnapping, extortion and murder out of which at least 20 are registered in Rajasthan alone. Also, Anmol looked after Lawrence’s cartel of extortion and invested the gang’s money in businesses outside India.
Sources said that in all likelihood Anmol Bhisnoi’s custody will be first handed over to the Canadian law enforcement agencies by the US authorities and only later India might get his custody as he has been residing in Canada, he is likely to be extradited to that country first.
The process of bringing back to India might have to be initiated through Canada. Anmol was reportedly interrogated by the US authorities.
A red corner notice had been issued against him in December 2022. He was detained last week in California by the US immigration department, as one of his travel documents was reportedly found to be forged, as he had reportedly fled India using fake documents.
US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller had told the media in Washington, "It would be appropriate if anyone is going to comment on such a report, it would be the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI, not the State Department. I prefaced it that way because they may decline to comment, but I certainly am not going to comment on something that falls within their jurisdiction.’’
Sources said that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials have met the senior officials of various Indian agencies after Anmol was detained in the United States to discuss the status of his case and the evidence against him.
Anmol’s alleged involvement in the killing of NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique might have also been discussed.
Sources further claimed that after meeting the US official the officials of the central agencies are busy finding strong and direct evidence against Anmol and are thus reopening the files.
An official privy with the development in the Punjab Police said that Anmol Bishnoi who operates from Rajasthan is the key operator of the global criminal syndicate of Lawrence Bishnoi and works behind the scenes managing businesses and activities of the gang.
He is now in the most wanted list due to his involvement in three high-profile cases: murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique, firing outside the house of Bollywood actor Salman Khan and the killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala.
As per the Punjab Police dossier, Anmol looks after the cartel of extortion and also oversees the investment of the gang’s money in businesses outside India. He emerged as the point man of this gang as he was out of jail and looked after the cartel of extortion and would invest the gang’s money in businesses outside India. The investments made were in sports clubs especially related to kabaddi and have benami real estate in India and abroad.
A total of 32 criminal cases are registered against him which relate to kidnapping, extortion and murder out of which at least 20 are registered in Rajasthan alone as per dossier and he worked with Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar with Lawrence as their boss.
In 2012, first case was registered against Anmol under the Arms Act when he was 15 years of age. His brother Lawrence was the main accused in the case, he was arrested but later released on bail.
In 2017, 19-year-old Anmol was arrested by Rajasthan Police on charges of extortion case and for firing outside the office of a businessman in Jodhpur. He got the bail in 2019 and during his stay in Jodhpur jail, he established contacts with his brother’s accomplices.
Anmol was last spotted in 2023 at a wedding in California in which noted Punjabi singers Karan Aujla and Sharry Mann performed. Both singers later clarified that they had no clue that Anmol was present at the wedding as they were there just to perform. He was last seen in New York after he escaped in November 2022 via Dubai using a fake passport. A case was registered in the cyber cell police station.
The passport was issued by the Regional Passport Office, Delhi.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had previously in October announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for his capture. Also, the Mumbai police issued a lookout circular against him in connection with the firing outside actor Salman Khan’s residence on April 14 after he claimed responsibility for the incident on social media.
Anmol was also involved in ordering a hit on singer Sidhu Moose Wala in 2022 and had left the country a month before the singer was targeted and killed.
This is the second major detention of wanted gangsters after Arshdeep Singh Gill alias Arsh Dalla was arrested in Canada earlier.
