Days after Mansa police filed a charge-sheet against 24 accused in the murder case of globally renowned Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, one of the key accused — Sachin Thapan Bishnoi — has been detained in Azerbaijan; while the location of another prime accused — Anmol Bishnoi — has been traced to Kenya.
Both Sachin and Anmol — nephew and brother of the main conspirator of Sidhu Moosewala’s killing, Lawrence Bishnoi, respectively — had fled India on fake passports before the crime was committed on May 29.
Following Sachin’s arrest, the Ministry of External Affairs has sought the criminal history of both Sachin and Anmol from the Punjab Police. In a communication from the Ministry of External Affairs to the Punjab Police, all details about the accused, his criminal history, arrest warrants and role in the Moosewala case has been sought for expediting the extradition.
Sharing the information, Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Tuesday said that the central agencies helped the state police in tracing Sachin Thapan, and efforts are underway to extradite him to India.
Sources maintained that the Punjab Police and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) were moving swiftly to extradite Sachin, in case of some legal issues.
The DGP said that Sachin Thapan was in touch with Goldy Brar — another member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, who has repeatedly claimed responsibility for the singer’s murder. “He initially fled to Dubai. With the support of the Government of India and central agencies, we have traced him to Azerbaijan. A legal process is underway. We are hopeful that he will be brought to India very soon,” said Yadav.
DGP maintained that the location was traced in an intelligence-based operation. “With the help of intelligence based operation, it was found that Sachin went to Dubai on a fake passport. We traced him from Dubai to Azerbaijan. In this, we got full cooperation of the central agencies. Now, process is on to bring him back here. Sachin will be brought to Punjab and punished,” he added.
As per information available, Anmol and Sachin went to Dubai via Nepal. From there, Sachin went to Azerbaijan, and Anmol went to Canada. “Now, Sachin has been arrested in the fake passport case about a month back and the Indian Government has received this information recently. After Sachin’s arrest, Anmol has fled from Canada to Kenya,” a police officer, who did not wish to be named, told The Pioneer.
The state police have been making efforts since long to arrest Anmol. Sources informed that the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), led by ADGP Pramod Ban with AIG Gurmeet Chauhan and DSP Bikramjit Brar, had traced Anmol’s movement. It has been learnt that the AGTF and Mansa police have been asked to prepare required documents to extradite Sachin Thapan.
Notably, Sachin and Anmol are among the four gangsters, allegedly involved in the Moosewala’s killing, hiding abroad. The other two are Goldy Brar and Lipin Nehra.
A communication from the Ministry of External Affairs to the Punjab Police has sought all details about the accused, his criminal history, arrest warrants and role in the Moosewala case for expediting the extradition.
Punjab police claimed that gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, in a well-hatched out conspiracy to protect his brother Anmol Bishnoi, his close associate Sachin Thapan, and himself, had created a “perfect alibi” so that he and his associates are not linked to Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala’s murder.
“To execute this plan, he procured passports for his brother Anmol Bishnoi and Sachin Thapan on fake particulars that were issued by Regional Passport Office, Delhi, and made them flee the country before the execution of this murder.
The police had claimed that Lawrence settled them abroad from where they could coordinate, facilitate, and successfully execute this crime without being noticed or held culpable.
Having a criminal past, Anmol has been booked in as many as 18 criminal cases. He was in Jodhpur Jail, from where he was released on bail on October 7, 2021. Anmol Bishnoi had got his passport issued by RPO Delhi under fake particulars. Similarly, Sachin Thapan, a close associate of Lawrence Bishnoi and having a criminal past with 12 criminal cases, also managed to get a passport issued by RPO Delhi under fake particulars.
On the basis of these disclosures made by Lawrence Bishnoi during the interrogation, a separate case was registered against Lawrence and his associates under Sections 384, 465, 466, 471, 120B of the Indian Penal Code, Section 12 of the Passport Act, and Section 25 of the Arms Act, among others.
