Six members of Lawrence Bishnoi gang held with arms in Mohali

Were planning to free prime accused in Sonu Shah murder and commit robbery to gather funds

Six members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, including a juvenile, who were planning to free the prime suspect in Sonu Shah murder case, were arrested in Kharar, police said on Tuesday.

Sonu Shah, a property dealer who was at loggerheads with Bishnoi, was shot dead at his office in Chandigarh’s Burail village last September.

Bishnoi’s aide Manjit Singh, who was arrested for the murder, is presently lodged in Chandigarh Model Jail.

The six gang members were arrested by the crime investigating agency (staff) of the Mohali police during checking at a naka near Sunny Enclave while they were on their way to the tricity in a Mahindra Scorpio SUV, said superintendent of police (SP, investigation) Harmandeep Hans.

Police also recovered two .32 bore pistols along with seven live cartridges, a countrymade .315 bore pistol along with a live cartridge, a dagger and a sword from their possession. The vehicle was also impounded.

They have been identified as Harwinder Singh, alias Joy, of Patiala; Subham, alias Billu, of Dadumajra in Chandigarh; Hitesh, alias Bholu, of Jagdishpura village in Sonepat; Anmol and Abhinav of Sonepat; and a juvenile. Bholu is a relative of Manjit Singh. All six were produced in court and sent to three-day police remand.

“They worked for Manjit Singh, who is an active member of the Bishnoi gang. Their main motive was to free him from police custody while on way to court hearing, for which they had hatched a conspiracy in Sonepat,” said Hans.

The interrogation further revealed that the six planned to execute a bank robbery to arrange funds.

One of them involved in Chandigarh shooting

Police also learnt that Billu, along with one Vijay, had shot at a trader in Sector 25, Chandigarh, on October 19. Joy and Billu had also carried out shooting on the day of a state-level function at Patiala on October 25.

Hans said Joy is booked in three criminal cases in various police stations, while Billu, a Class-10 dropout, faces two cases.

“The accused have disclosed names of three more accomplices, who will be nabbed soon. We are checking their possible hideouts in Mohali. Further investigation is on,” said Hans.

A case has been registered under Sections 399 (making preparation to commit dacoity), 402 (assembling for the purpose of committing dacoity) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code besides and under the Arms Act at the Kharar Sadar police station.