Sidhu Moosewala murder: Delhi Police questions Lawrence Bishnoi, other jailed gangsters

Youth pay tribute to late Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala who was shot dead a day earlier in Mansa district in India`s Punjab state, during a candlelight vigil in Amritsar. Pic/AFP

A day after Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala was shot dead, Delhi Police on Monday questioned jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi here in connection with the case, according to officials.

The development came as a Delhi court refused to entertain a plea filed by Bisnoi, who has been accused of plotting the murder, that he apprehended a fake encounter by the Punjab Police. Special Judge Praveen Singh said there was no ground to entertain the plea that sought a direction to the jail authorities not to give his custody to Punjab police, according to court sources. Officials said a team of the Delhi Police Special Cell quizzed gangsters Lawrence Bismoi and Shahrukh, who have been lodged in the central jail here, for allegedly plotting the killing of Moosewala from inside the Tihar prison.. Gangsters Kala Rana and Kala Jathedi who are also in police custody were also questioned in the matter, police said. This comes in the backdrop of Punjab police chief V K Bhawra' claim on Sunday that prima facie, it seems to be an inter-gang rivalry between Lawrence Bishnoi Group and Lucky Patial group. "Lawrence Bishnoi group has taken the responsibility of Sidhu Mooswala's murder citing it as a retaliation to the killing of Vicky Midhukhera," he said. Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar claimed responsibility for the murder on Sunday and said it was planned by him and the Lawrence Bishnoi group. "As of now, it has been suspected that his (Moosewala's) killing could have been plotted by some gangsters and their aides jailed in Tihar.

''Bishnoi who has been lodged in jail no. 8 of Tihar had been planning the killing for months and was questioned in connection with the matter while Kala Jathedi and Kala Rana who are in police custody were also be questioned in connection with the killing" a senior Delhi Police official said. It is being suspected that VoIP calls were being made by the jailed gangsters to contact Brar who then instructed their associates here to carry out extortions and other crimes. According to police, Bishnoi, who has allegedly been running an extortion racket from inside the jail for years, has been "actively" in touch with his associates. Bishnoi was lodged at a Rajasthan jail and was later shifted to Delhi prison in connection with an MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) case. Bishnoi and his gang members are allegedly involved in multiple cases of murder, attempt to murder, extortion, robbery, etc in Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Delhi. Most of the gang leaders have been caught and are jailed in and around Delhi. Last month, the Special Cell unit had also arrested a gangster named Shahrukh, 28, who was carrying a reward of Rs. two lakh. He was involved in several cases including murder, attempt to murder and extortion. "We are also probing if Shahrukh was in touch with Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar," the officer added.

Rana, allegedly involved in more than 30 murder cases, was extradited from Thailand to India this March. Jathedi was arrested last year and is allegedly involved in the murder of 23-year-old wrestler Sagar Dhankar at Chattarsal Stadium. The gangsters are also involved in the GTB hospital shootout case last year. On Sunday, Moosewala, 28, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Punjab''s Mansa district, a day after the state government curtailed his security cover. His cousin and a friend, who were travelling in a jeep with him, were also injured in the attack. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has announced setting up a judicial commission headed by a sitting high court judge to probe the killing of Moosewala. The state government will extend full cooperation to this panel, including roping in any of the central agencies like the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Mann said. Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, known as Sidhu Moosewala, was among the 424 people whose security was withdrawn or curtailed by the Punjab Police on Saturday temporarily.

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