Siddique killing | Why Mumbai police is unable to secure Bishnoi’s custody

Although the gang led by Lawrence Bishnoi has taken responsibility for the shooting outside Salman Khan's residence in April and the recent killing of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, Mumbai police have not yet secured Bishnoi’s custody.

The gangster is currently imprisoned in Gujarat, and efforts to transfer him have been hindered by a directive from the Union Home Ministry.

After the April incident, Mumbai police submitted several requests for Bishnoi’s handover, but these were rejected due to a Home Ministry order. This order, issued under Section 268 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), restricts the transfer of certain prisoners when their movement is considered a threat to public order.

Transfer blocked

Bishnoi had been relocated to Gujarat’s Sabarmati Jail from Tihar Jail in Delhi in August 2023 over a drug smuggling case, and the Home Ministry order initially blocked his transfer for a year. Media reports now reveal that this restriction has been extended for an additional year.

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Bishnoi and his gang gained widespread attention after admitting to the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala in 2022. The gang has also claimed responsibility for the shooting outside Salman Khan's Galaxy Apartments in Mumbai, citing an old grudge related to Khan's alleged involvement in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case in Rajasthan.

Bishnoi threatened Salman Khan

The Bishnoi community, which holds the blackbuck as sacred, was reportedly enraged by the incident. Bishnoi himself, during a court hearing in 2018, openly threatened to kill Salman Khan, saying the world would know when they take action.

The gang's current activities are managed by Bishnoi's brother, Anmol, along with gang members Goldy Brar and Rohit Godara. Recently, one of the gang members, now in police custody, confessed to being involved in Siddique’s murder.

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According to media reports, Siddique was targeted due to his alleged connections with notorious fugitive Dawood Ibrahim and his close ties to Salman Khan. Also, the gang claims that Siddique’s killing was linked to the death of Anuj Thapan, one of the suspects arrested in the April shooting outside Salman Khan’s house, who died while in police custody.

Police are investigating the credibility of the gang’s claims.