Who is Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother Anmol Bishnoi detained in the US? Why is he wanted in India?

Anmol Bishnoi, the younger brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, was detained last week in California, United States.

According to News18, intelligence sources confirmed that earlier this month, a non-bailable warrant was issued for his arrest.

Notably, this is the second significant arrest of wanted criminals, including the arrest of Arshdeep Singh Gill, also known as Arsh Dalla, in Canada late last month.

Here’s all we know about him.

Seeking Anmol Bishnoi’s extradition

Anmol's detention in the US comes after weeks of legal proceedings brought by the Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch seeking his extradition.

The US Immigration Department discovered that one of Anmol’s travel credentials was fake, according to sources who spoke to Indian Express.

“Anmol fled to the US on May 15, 2022, after making a fake passport in the name of one Bhanu. But he was exposed after the US Immigration Department found that one of the reference letters of a company, attached to his travel documents, was forged,” a source told the newspaper.

Three FBI officials met with top officials from several Indian agencies on Friday to discuss the status of Anmol’s case after his detention last Thursday, a source in the security establishment told the newspaper.

“In a meeting that lasted 45 minutes, the FBI officials discussed the cases and evidence against Anmol. Matters regarding his deportation will be clear once the outcome of his application for asylum is known,” the source said.

According to the report, the FBI officers also discussed about Anmol’s alleged participation in murdering former Maharashtra Minister Baba Siddique and firing superstar Salman Khan outside his Bandra residence.

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After the meeting, central agencies began reviewing their case files, compiling a list of direct and strong evidence against Anmol.

Meanwhile, the US State Department on Monday (local time) declined to comment on the potential deportation of Anmol. The department said that the matter falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

For those uninitiated, earlier in December 2022, a Red Corner Notice had been issued against Anmol.

“Based on the RCN, US authorities reached out to us a few months ago, alerting us about Anmol’s presence in the US,” the official told the newspapers.

If the extradition procedure is accepted, he will be taken into custody by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch.

High-profile cases against him

Anmol Bishnoi, alias Bhanu, is the brother of infamous gangster  Lawrence Bishnoi, who is currently behind bars in a drug smuggling case investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Hailing from Punjab’s Fazilka, he is the son of Lovinder Singh and Sunita Bishnoi. His nephew, Sachin Bishnoi, is also believed to be involved in illegal activities.

As a teenager, he committed minor crimes, including extortion and theft, which later escalated into more serious ones. He gained more influence after learning bomb-making methods from a professional in Nepal, which was a turning point in his criminal career.

He is accused in the killing of singer-politician  Sidhu Moosewala, who was shot dead in Punjab’s Mansa district on May 29, 2022. He allegedly provided weapons and logistical support to the men who gunned down Moosewala near his village.

Major operations of the gang, including the  firing outside Salman Khan’s house in April, were alleged to have been carried out by Anmol. According to the chargesheet filed by the NIA, Anmol delivered a nine-minute speech to motivate the shooters, Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal, telling them that they were on course to create history.

His name also surfaced in the recent murder of  Baba Siddique, a former MLA and leader of the NCP (Ajit Pawar), where it was said that Anmol had spoken with the accused, who opened fire on the leader.

Shortly after the murder, two of the gunmen, Dharamraj Kashyap of Uttar Pradesh and Gurmail Baljit Singh of Haryana, were taken into custody; Shiv Kumar Gautam, also of Uttar Pradesh, is still on the run.

Anmol is booked in 18 criminal cases and has served time in the Jodhpur jail. He was released on bail on 7 October 2021. He reportedly kept changing his locations. Last year, he was spotted at a California wedding.

On October 25, the NIA announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh on Anmol.

Anmol Bishnoi’s detention is important in light of the infamous criminal gang led by Lawrence Bishnoi.

With inputs from agencies