NEW DELHI: Kenya and Azerbaijan have detained one person each on suspicion of involvement in the murder of singer Sidhu Moosewala and India is in touch with authorities in both countries regarding the matter, the external affairs ministry said on Thursday.
Moosewala was gunned down by six shooters on a highway at Jawaharke village in Punjab’s Mansa district on May 29, when he was travelling in his vehicle with two associates.
“One suspect each in Azerbaijan and Kenya have been detained by local authorities there and we are in contact with the concerned authorities in both countries on further steps,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told a regular media briefing on Thursday.
“I cannot say what sort of legal proceedings will be done but our authorities are in touch with both countries on the issue of the two suspects,” he said in response to a question.
Moosewala was killed days after his security cover was downgraded by Punjab Police. He unsuccessfully contested the state assembly elections last year as a Congress candidate.
Reports have said the external affairs ministry has been working with Punjab Police regarding the extradition of the two suspects detained abroad. Bagchi did not identify the detained men, who have been named by the Punjab Police as Sachin Thapan, who was held in Azerbaijan, and Anmol Bishnoi, who was held in Kenya. Both fled India on fake passports a month before the murder was committed on May 29.
{{/usCountry}}Reports have said the external affairs ministry has been working with Punjab Police regarding the extradition of the two suspects detained abroad. Bagchi did not identify the detained men, who have been named by the Punjab Police as Sachin Thapan, who was held in Azerbaijan, and Anmol Bishnoi, who was held in Kenya. Both fled India on fake passports a month before the murder was committed on May 29.
{{/usCountry}}The two are also named as co-accused in the special investigation team’s 1,850-page charge sheet filed in the court of chief judicial magistrate in Mansa on August 26.
Sachin Thapan and Anmol Bishnoi, who is gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother, are among the four accused named in the SIT charge sheet who were abroad and still missing. The other two are Lipin Nehra and Satwinder Singh alias Goldy Brar, the mastermind in the singer’s killing.
According to the SIT, Anmol and Sachin first fled to Nepal from where they went to Dubai. “While Sachin moved to Azerbaijan, Anmol went to Canada and later moved to Kenya. Sachin was arrested in fake passport case at Azerbaijan, according to Punjab Police.