Jaipur: In the wake of NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique's murder, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang is once again under the scanner with investigating agencies probing into its motive and involvement in the case.
Investigations are on whether Baba Siddique was targeted due to his friendship with Bollywood stars, especially Salman Khan, with whom the gang has an old rivalry or the motive was something else. Baba Siddique and Salman were known to be friends for several years.
It is believed that after spreading terror in Punjabi music and film industry, Bishnoi has his eyes on Bollywood. The gang is accused of extorting money by threatening businessmen and stars and is allegedly associated with arms smuggling. Bishnoi was also alleged to be the mastermind behind the murder of popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala.
Gangsters can go to any extent: Retired IPS Sawai Singh said it is likely that the gang is carrying out such crimes to instill fear in Bollywood stars. The ultimate aim of such gangsters is to earn money by instilling fear and for this, they can go to any extent, Singh said.
Again, there are chances that by targeting Salman, his family and close ones, Bishnoi gang is trying to establish its foothold in Bollywood and set up a new network of extortion. In its chargesheet presented in the court, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has compared Bishnoi with Mumbai underworld mafia Dawood Ibrahim, he said.
Lawrence Bishnoi is in jail and gang operates from abroad: Goldie Brar, Anmol Bishnoi, Sachin Thapan and Rohit Godara are important members of the Bishnoi gang, who are operating from abroad. Police investigation has revealed that these gangsters under Bishnoi's instruction, direct whom to threaten for extortion and whom to kill.
Sidhu Moosewala and Sukhdev Singh's murder: The Bishnoi gang allegedly shot Sidhu Moosewala and then Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi at his house in Jaipur. Rohit Godara of Lawrence gang plotted the murders and Goldie Brar made all the arrangements, including providing weapons to the killers through its network.
Minors engaged by the gang: A minor henchman of the Bishnoi gang was lodged in the juvenile correctional home in a firing case in Jaipur. After this, incidents of juvenile delinquents escaping from the juvenile correctional home were reported continuously. When the police investigated, it was revealed that the delinquents who escaped from the correctional home killed a businessman in Haryana under the gang's instruction. These minors were lured by the gang to settle them abroad after the crime.
Investigations also revealed that Bishnoi is in touch with around 500 to 700 minor boys, who are involved in incidents from recce to firing. The gang makes these minor boys to commit crimes and then uses its network to help them escape later, sources said.
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