NEW DELHI: Observing that the allegations against him were serious, a Delhi court on Wednesday sent Anmol Bishnoi, accused of operating as a terror-gangster syndicate member and allegedly murdering former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, firing at actor Salman Khan’s residence in April 2024, and killing Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, among other crimes to 11 days of NIA custody.Noting his alleged involvement in extortion, harming the victims and “identifying foot soldiers” of gangs for carrying out targeted killings and furtherance of terror activities, additional sessions judge Prashant Sharma said, he is allegedly operating from abroad along with co-accused persons, is alleged to be operating as a terror-gangster syndicate member. The agency sought sought 15 days’ custody of Bishnoi on the grounds of being involved in handling of the finance deals of gangs and giving logistics support to them. The NIA produced Anmol alias Bhanu, the brother and close aide of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, amid tight security in Patiala House Court around 5pm, after the agency arrested him upon his deportation from the US. Special public prosecutor Rahul Tyagi who appeared for the agency said Bishnoi is a important member of the terror-gangster syndicate and has some very important information. He was running the syndicate, and was a key member said the SPP. The counsel said that the agency is trying to find how he fled India.Bishnoi will be produced before the court again on Nov 29 after completion of his NIA custody.Considering that the agency had underlined several aspects which needed to be unearthed, the court said that it finds allegations made against the him are serious and the scope of the investigation and the evidence collected during the investigation is very wide. Pointing out that the said syndicate is involved in conducting terrorist activities, the judge said that according to the NIA’s chargesheet, the accused was involved in 11 criminal matters registered at different police stations. The allegations also included Anmol’s role in the conspiracy, the modus operandi, the source of funds used by him for the execution of the terror conspiracy and details of social media accounts through which the responsibility of terror activities executed by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, the court noted. Anmol, however, denied the allegations and confirmed that he received a copy of the arrest memo. He informed the court that he engaged an advocate of his choice, and verified that his medical examination was conducted.Directing the IO to prepare a video recording, by herself or through any proper means, for the entire journey of the accused from the court to the place where he will be kept, the judge asked the NIA to take proper and reasonable precautions for the accused’s safety and security, and that he had to be medically examined in a government hospital every 48 hours.
