Punjab Police get remand of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi in Moosewala case
Bishnoi’s counsel contended that there was a threat to his client’s life and that he may be killed in a fake encounter.
A Delhi court on Tuesday allowed one-day transit remand of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi to Punjab Police for his production in a Mansa court in connection to the murder of singer Sidhu Moosewala, who was gunned down on May 29.
Bishnoi’s counsel contended that there was a threat to his client’s life and that he may be killed in a fake encounter. The judge directed Punjab Police to take all measures for the safety and security of Bishnoi during transit and till his court production even as the advocate general for Punjab Anmol Rattan Sidhu said a team of armed personnel had been constituted for this purpose.
Bishnoi is accused of being the key conspirator in the singer’s murder. Delhi Police have interrogated him for 10 days following which he was produced in the court on Tuesday. In its application, Punjab Police stated that nine accused have been arrested in the case and 11 people were yet to be arrested.
Metropolitan magistrate Umesh Kumar allowed Punjab Police’s application for one-day transit remand to produce the gangster before a Mansa court for kick-starting the trial for the singer’s murder.
“Considering the totality of the circumstances and also considering the seriousness of the offences and gravity of allegations against the accused Lawrence Bishnoi qua the murder of singer Subhdeep Singh @ Sidhu Moosewala, the application seeking transit remand for one day is allowed till June 15 with direction to the IO to produce the accused before the concerned court of CJM, Mansa on June 15,” the judge said in a 4-page order.
The court also ordered Punjab Police to file a compliance report before the duty magistrate in Patiala House court just after the production in Mansa court. The chief judicial magistrate, Mansa, had issued an arrest warrant against Bishnoi on June 13 in the singer’s murder case.
Punjab Police, in its application, claimed that Bishnoi was the key conspirator in the murder. The plea was filed after Bishnoi was produced before the duty magistrate at the end of his four days Delhi Police custody.
The application said that during investigation, the confession statements of the arrested accused were recorded which clearly pointed out that Bishnoi had tasked the co-accused to carry out the killing which was allegedly planned.
“The same has been corroborated by the upload on social media wherein Lawrence Bishnoi has taken responsibility for carrying out the planned murder of Sidhu Moosewala. Delhi police had questioned the accused Bishnoi, and they have clearly stated that Bishnoi was the key conspirator in the planned murder of Siddhu Moosewala via press conferences,” Punjab Police said in its application.
It also said that a team of 54 officials, including 38 armed police personnel, was constituted to check the security of the accused.
Anmol Rattan Sidhu, advocate general for Punjab, added that a total 10 vehicles including two bullet proof cars were arranged.
Police said it was also pertinent to mention that all the arrested accused were allegedly closely associated with Bishnoi and his associates, and they have been involved together in multiple FIRs.
“The notice for the said crime was found to be to avenge the killing of Vikranjeet Singh, in which there was alleged involvement of Shagundeep Singh, manager of Shubhdeep Singh…From the circumstances, it becomes clear that the role of accused Lawrence Bishnoi is pivotal to investigate this case of organised and planned murder,” they further alleged.
Advocate Vishal Chopra, appearing for Bishnoi, opposed the application, saying there was apprehension that Bishnoi might be killed if transit remand was granted, adding that the accused could be virtually produced before the court in Punjab.
Early this month, Chopra had also moved high court for blocking the custody to Punjab Police but had later withdrawn it to file it before the Punjab and Haryana high court.
Moosewala was shot dead in Punjab’s Mansa district on Sunday, just a day after his security was downgraded by the state government. On Saturday evening, the director-general of police VK Bhawra said that Lawrence Bishnoi’s group has taken the responsibility for the singer’s murder and said that it was a retaliation to the killing of Youth Akali Dal leader Vicky Midhukhera.
The Punjab Police have named gangsters Goldy Brar and Lawrence Bishnoi in Moosewala’s murder. Goldy Brar is a Canada-based gangster and is a close aide of Bishnoi.
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