In a major breakthrough in the murder case of Punjabi singer-politician Sidhu Moose Wala, the Punjab Police has claimed to have traced and detained key accused Sachin Thapan in Azerbaijan with the help of the central government. Thapan was allegedly exchanging calls with gangster Goldy Brar, another member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, who has claimed responsibility for the singer’s murder.
"Sachin Thapan, the person exchanging calls with Goldy Brar, is detained in Azerbaijan with support from the government of India. Our combined efforts are there to provide justice to the family," said DGP Punjab Gaurav Yadav.
Thapan and another accused Anmol Bishnoi, brother of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, had fled the country using fake passports before Moose Wala’s murder.
“He initially fled to Dubai. With the support of the government of India and central agencies, we have traced him to Azerbaijan. A legal process is underway. We are hopeful that he will be brought to India very soon,” Yadav said.
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Moose Wala was shot dead by assailants in Jawaharke village of Punjab's Mansa district on May 29, a day after his security was withdrawn by the Punjab Police among 424 others. He had joined the Congress party in December last year ahead of the assembly elections.
{{/usCountry}}Moose Wala was shot dead by assailants in Jawaharke village of Punjab's Mansa district on May 29, a day after his security was withdrawn by the Punjab Police among 424 others. He had joined the Congress party in December last year ahead of the assembly elections.
{{/usCountry}}Police in Mansa district of Punjab have filed a charge sheet against 34 people in the Moose Wala murder case, of which eight are yet to be arrested.
"As of now, four people are in foreign countries while 8 people are yet to be arrested. A total of 122 people are there for testimony," said Gaurav Toora, SSP.
The official said Lawrence Bishnoi, Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, Satwinder Goldie Brar Sachin Thapan, Anmol Bishnoi, Lipin Nehra along with over a dozen people are included in the case.
Senior superintendent of police, Moga, Gulneet Singh Khurana, said Bishnoi was brought for questioning in an attempt to murder case filed in December 2021 in which the police had arrested a sharpshooter from Bishnoi's gang Monu Dagar.
The Moga police claimed that on directions of Bishnoi, Canada-based Goldy Brar sent two shooters Jodhajit Singh and Monu Dagar to kill Jatinder Kumar Neela.
Punjab police, earlier, claimed in their filed petition that Lawrence Bishnoi is a key conspirator of singer Moose Wala.
Last month, the Haryana Police arrested four persons associated with the Bishnoi and Brar gang and recovered a large number of arms and ammunition from their possession in the Mahesh Nagar police station area of the district, said the Ambala superintendent of police.
(With inputs from ANI, PTI)