New Delhi: National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday arrested gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother, Anmol, upon his deportation from US. He arrived here on a special flight around 2pm, was produced in court and taken on a remand of 11 days. The agency arrested him in a case registered in 2022 to investigate an alleged nexus between criminal gangs in India and Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), a designated terrorist organisation, to raise funds, recruit youths and carry out terror strikes in the country. Anmol was accused of providing shelter and logistic support to shooters of the gangs and ground operatives in America. “He was also allegedly engaged in extortion in India from foreign soil with the help of other gangsters,” NIA said. The agency intends to ascertain details of social media accounts through which the Lawrence Bishnoi group has been taking responsibility for various crimes. Following his NIA custody, Anmol is likely to be handed over to police in Mumbai and Punjab in connection with the murder cases of NCP neta Baba Siddique and rapper Sidhu Moose Wala. Anmol’s family claimed that he is being punished for his brother’s crimes. “I request the PM and home minister to ensure Anmol’s security. The way gang war is happening, we are apprehensive… Our family has always respected the law. Whether Anmol is a culprit… it is part of the inquiry. His biggest crime is that he is the younger brother of Lawrence, but he has never been involved in the world of crime,” said his cousin, Ramesh Bishnoi. Urging NIA to ensure his safety, the court ordered Anmol’s medical examination to be conducted every 48 hours and his journey from court to the agency headquarters and vice versa video-recorded on completion of remand. NIA was asked to submit a report on measures taken for his security. Anmol had been absconding since 2022, NIA said. “He is the 19th accused to be arrested for his involvement in the terror-syndicate led by his jailed brother, Lawrence. Anmol was chargesheeted by NIA in March 2023 after investigation established that he had actively aided designated terrorist Goldy Brar and Lawrence in the commission of various acts of terrorism in the country between 2020 and 2023,” the agency claimed.Operating closely with various Bishnoi gang associates, Anmol continued to run syndicates and execute acts of terror from US, using the gang’s operatives on the ground, NIA said. Anmol was detained in California’s Sacramento last Nov for illegal entry after which FBI confirmed his identity through DNA and voice sample matches. He sought asylum while he was lodged at Pottawattamie County prison in Iowa. The facility’s website showed he was being investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which deals with cross-border crimes and undocumented immigration in US. An incident of firing at actor Salman Khan’s house in Mumbai in April last year put Anmol under the lens. A Facebook account, purportedly belonging to him, claimed responsibility for the incident. Later, police chanced upon an audio recording of a conversation purportedly between Anmol and Vicky Gupta, one of the shooters. On Oct 12, 2024, Siddique was gunned down outside the Bandra (East) office of his MLA son, Zeeshan. Anmol was named in a chargesheet filed by Mumbai Police. Soon, NIA announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for information leading to his arrest. Anmol was also accused of providing arms and logistical support to the shooters of Moose Wala. He had allegedly fled India on a forged passport in the name of Bhanu Pratap a month before the rapper was killed on May 29, 2022.
