Delhi Police have pointed the finger at gangster Lawrence Bishnoi for the killing of popular Punjabi singer-turned-politician Sidhu Moose Wala, who was gunned down on 29 May.
“Lawrence Bishnoi is [the] mastermind behind the killing”, claimed Special Police Commissioner H.S. Dhaliwal during a press conference Wednesday.
Dhaliwal also clarified that a man taken into custody by Maharashtra Police under the alias Siddhesh Hiraman Kamble was “a close associate of one of the shooters, but he’s not involved in the killing”. He also stated that “at least five people are involved in the killing” and promised that the “shooters will be arrested soon”.
Bishnoi, who has resided in Delhi’s Tihar Jail for over a year for organised criminal activities, has been interrogated by the Delhi Police. Officers have also identified eight sharpshooters suspected of carrying out the murder.
The gangster is also on the radar over a threat letter sent to Bollywood superstar Salman Khan and his father, writer Salim Khan, on Monday. The letter threatened the pair with the “same fate” as the recently slain singer.
On 29 May, Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala was shot dead by assailants in Jawaharke village of Mansa district while travelling with two others, who were left injured. He was reportedly shot over 30 times.
The killing occurred a day after the Punjab government withdrew the security details of 424 people, including Moose Wala. This measure was taken as a part of a government effort to crack down on a so-called elitist culture.
On 30 May, Moose Wala’s father Balkour Singh filed a police complaint stating that his son had been extorted, and had received continuous death threats from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
Wala's father has also written to Punjab State Chief Mann demanding a federal-led investigation. The Punjab Police Force said that the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar claimed responsibility for the attack.
While Bishnoi is in custody in Delhi, Punjab police sought a red-corner notice against Goldy Brar after he took responsibility for the murder. Brar is also suspected in two other criminal cases.
Red-corner notices are issued to seek the arrest or provisional arrest of wanted criminals with the intention of extradition.