Operating a well-organised extortion racket from behind the bars, gangster Lawrence Bishnoi had issued directions to his key aide Deepu Banur, who too is jailed, to orchestrate the firing outside a businessman’s house in Sector 33, Chandigarh, only “to instil fear and not to kill”.
“I was simply following orders,” is what Deepu is learnt to have told police during his interrogation in connection with firing outside the bungalow of hotelier and businessman Rakesh Singla, elder brother of liquor baron Arvind Singla, on May 31.
Deepu was brought on production warrants from the Ambala jail on Tuesday and is in five-day police remand.
Chandigarh Police are now trying to bring Bishnoi — the mastermind — on production warrants from the Bharatpur jail in Rajasthan. Bishnoi’s list of crimes in the city is quite long, including the murder of Sonu Shah, a property dealer, in broad daylight on September 28, 2019. Sources said Bishnoi uses his aides to make extortion calls. Earlier, at least seven businessmen have complained of such calls.
Bizmen across region on target
{{/usCountry}}Bizmen across region on target
{{/usCountry}}Officials privy to the investigations said Deepu has also revealed that the firing was part of a larger conspiracy to target different businessmen in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.
“The motive revealed so far was extortion by instilling fear,” said Charanjit Singh, deputy superintendent of police. He said raids are being conducted in Patiala and Ambala in search of all those involved. So far one of the five shooters — a 23-year-old hotel management student — and two men who provided logistical support have been arrested.
Bishnoi allegedly used WhatsApp to call Deepu and direct him to arrange shooters as well as provide logistical support. Deepu reportedly told police that as the motive was to just instil fear, no trained shooter was engaged and the youngsters tasked with it were asked to fire maximum rounds.