 "The security concerns around the comedian Munawar Faruqui escalated recently after a few members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang allegedly attempted to target him during his visit to Delhi last month. Image courtesy: File, Facebook/ @Munawar Faruqui")
The recent, high-profile murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique has thrown the Lawrence Bishnoi gang into the spotlight, with authorities now examining its possible involvement in the crime.
Siddique, the former Maharashtra minister, was gunned down outside his office in Mumbai last week. Just hours later, an alleged Lawrence Bishnoi gang member claimed responsibility for the assassination.
According to a report by India Today, new details emerged during a National Investigation Agency (NIA) interrogation, where Bishnoi, who is in jail, revealed his gang’s hit list. This extensive list has several prominent names, including comedian and Big Boss 17 winner Munawar Faruqui.
But why is the comedian on the Bishnoi gang’s radar? And who else is on this ominous list? Here’s a closer look.
All about Munawar Faruqui
1. Born in Gujarat’s Junagadh, Munawar Faruqui rose to fame as a stand-up comedian and rapper on YouTube.
2. According to a BBC report, Faruqui’s childhood was beset with tragedies. His mother had died by suicide when he was just a boy, his father faced violence during the 2002 religious riots in Gujarat. During his teens, Faruqui moved to Mumbai. He spent his time doing odd jobs before he found his passion for comedy.
3. He first made headlines in 2021 when he spent a month behind bars after complaints were filed against him for hurting religious sentiments after he reportedly made remarks on Hindu deities during a stand-up show. Faruqui has denied this claim.
4. After the outrage, the comedian wanted to make a comeback however, dozens of his shows were cancelled within two months following protests from Hindu groups. In December 2021, he announced he was quitting comedy. “Hate has won, artist has lost. I’m done,” he wrote in an Instagram post.
5. Two months later, Faruqui participated in a reality TV show called ‘Lock Upp’, where participants lived in a “jail” and performed tasks to earn money as “inmates”. He described the show as a “cleanse” and won praise from his fellows and host Kangana Ranaut. He even won the show’s first season.
6. In 2022, Faruqui also parted ways with his first wife Jasmine, whom he married in 2017. They both share a son together. Later, reports emerged that he tied the knot with Mehzabeen Coatwala, a makeup artist in 2024 in a secret ceremony.
7. Following the win from Lock Upp, he went back to creating rap music, resurrected his Instagram handle, and, eventually, also returned to comedy. He entered the Salman-Khan hosted reality show, Bigg Boss 17 in 2024. He gained massive popularity through the show, which he eventually won. He also took home a cash prize of Rs 50 lakh and a car.
Why is Faruqui on Bishnoi gang’s hit list?
The security concerns around the comedian escalated recently after a few members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang allegedly attempted to target him during his visit to Delhi last month.
According to The Times of India, two of the criminal gang members trailed Faruqui and even booked a room in the same Delhi hotel where he was staying for an event in September.
However, with the timely action of the intelligence agency, the attack was foiled, and the artiste was quickly escorted to safety under police cover, a source told the publication.
In response, the Mumbai Police has since increased security around the stand-up comedian as a preventive measure.
While the exact reasons for targeting Faruqui remain undisclosed, an official familiar with the case shared, “The gang was furious over his gag on Hindu gods. Shooters were tasked with the hit job at a Delhi event in September. They travelled with him on the same flight from Mumbai and were even booked at the hotel where he was scheduled to stay. However, intelligence agencies alerted Delhi police, and the plan was foiled.”
He is one of the many people Bishnoi said are under his gang’s radar.
Who else is on the hit list?
Apart from Munawar Faruqui, here are several other high-profile names on the Lawrence Bishnoi gang’s alleged hit list.
1. Salman Khan: Bollywood superstar Khan is perhaps the most prominent target, largely due to his involvement in the 1998 blackbuck hunting case. According to NIA documents, Bishnoi’s community considers the blackbuck sacred, leading the gang to issue repeated threats against him. In the past, shots were even fired outside Khan’s Bandra residence.
2. Zeeshan Siddique: Zeeshan, son of Baba Siddique, is also on the Bishnoi gang’s radar. According to Mumbai police, those involved in Baba Siddique’s murder were allegedly contracted to target Zeeshan as well. He had also received threats a few days before the incident took place.
3. Shaganpreet Singh: Singh, former manager of slain Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala, is also a target. The Bishnoi gang accuses him of sheltering the killers of Vicky Middukhera, a close Bishnoi associate murdered in 2021. This has spurred the gang’s desire for revenge.
4. Kaushal Chaudhary: Gangster Chaudhary, currently in Gurugram jail, is believed to have supplied weapons in the Middukhera case. Bishnoi’s gang is intent on settling scores with him.
5. Amit Dagar: Dagar, a close ally of Chaudhary, is similarly implicated in the Middukhera murder. His proximity to Chaudhary has put him on the gang’s list of high-value targets.
With input from agencies