NIA arrests Anmol Bishnoi after gangster brought to India from US

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday arrested gangster Anmol Bishnoi after he was brought to India following his deportation from the US, news agency PTI reported.

Citing an official, the agency reported that Bishnoi will be taken to a special court in New Delhi.

Anmol Bishnoi, one of India's most wanted crime fugitives, was deported by the US on Tuesday (local time) after the Mumbai police submitted two proposals, seeking his extradition. Anmol is the younger brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and is part of his global criminal network.

He is a key accused in the murder of Baba Siddique, a former Maharashtra minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader, who was shot dead in Mumbai last year.

He also faces at least 18 criminal cases, including his alleged involvement in the firing outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan's residence in April last year and the murder of a Punjabi Singer, Sidhu Moosewala, in 2022.

Originally from Punjab’s Fazilka district, Anmol was on NIA's list of ‘most wanted’ individuals and has a reward of ₹10 lakh on his name. Investigators say he escaped India using a forged passport, travelling through Nepal, then moving to Dubai and Kenya before eventually making his way to the US. His arrest in November last year set in motion the deportation proceedings, which were completed on Tuesday.

NIA, in a statement posted on X, said, "Absconding since 2022, US-based Anmol Bishnoi is the 19th accused to be arrested for his involvement in the terror-syndicate led by his jailed brother, Lawrence Bishnoi. Anmol was chargesheeted by the NIA in March 2023 after investigations in the case established that he had actively aided designated individual terrorist Goldy Brar and Lawrence Bishnoi in the commission of various acts of terrorism in the country during the 2020-2023 period."

It further said, "Operating closely with various Bishnoi gang associates, Anmol continued to run terror syndicates and execute terrorist acts from the US for the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, using its operatives on the ground. Investigations revealed that Anmol Bishnoi had provided shelter and logistic support to the gang's shooters and ground operatives. He was also engaged in extortion in India from foreign soil with the help of other gangsters."

The agency said that it continues to investigate the terror gangster conspiracy case led by Lawrence Bishnoi, as part of its efforts to destroy the nexus between terrorists, gangsters and arms smugglers, including their infrastructure and funding channels.

Anmol Bishnoi's connection in Baba Siddique murder case

Baba Siddique was shot dead on October 12, 2024, in front of his son Zeeshan's office in Mumbai's Bandra area. According to a PTI report, at least 26 people have been arrested in connection with the murder of the former minister, all allegedly associated with Lawrence Bishnoi's gang.

In connection with the murder case, the Mumbai police invoked provisions of the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

Anmol Bishnoi, Shubham Lonkar, and Zishan Mohammed Akhtar were named as wanted accused in the case.