5 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Oct 16, 2024 07:46 PM IST
The agency also characterised his syndicate as one that “formed an alliance with the pro-Khalistan cause, to satisfy its quest for sophisticated weapons and to further invest the proceeds of terrorism generated through their existing extortion rackets”. (File Photo)
From likening his rise in the world of crime to fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim to highlighting his links with pro-Khalistani elements, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has portrayed Lawrence Bishnoi as a don helming a 700-member strong criminal enterprise.
In its 128-page chargesheet in the UAPA case against Bishnoi and 15 others filed in March 2023, the counter-terrorism law enforcement agency NIA has said there are 84 cases registered against him in Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi. Bishnoi’s criminal empire has “700 operatives, 300 among them from his home state Punjab”, it said.
The agency also characterised his syndicate as one that “formed an alliance with the pro-Khalistan cause, to satisfy its quest for sophisticated weapons and to further invest the proceeds of terrorism generated through their existing extortion rackets”.
“Anonymity” was key, the NIA said, describing the Bishnoi gang’s style of functioning, i.e., a person in the gang allegedly knew only the person who was above him in the hierarchy. “…all the gang members involved in an operation do not have any information about the rest of the members. The gang members present at the time of killing also often do not know each other so that if one gets arrested, the rest of the gang members remain safe,” said the agency.
The “recruitment” also happens through social media, the NIA claimed. Quoting the statements of a co-accused, it said, “…the gang recruits new members through social media. The gang used to post criminal/ terrorist activities on social media and by watching such types of posts, new persons would contact the gang to join our gang. Thereafter, the gang scrutinised the requests received through social media and shortlisted the requests as per requirement of the gang.”
NIA’s claims that he “formed an alliance with the pro-Khalistan cause” may be seen as divergent to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s (RCMP’s) allegations on Monday in Ottawa that “agents” of the Indian government were collaborating with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang to spread terror on Canadian soil. In a press conference in Ottawa, RCMP Assistant Commissioner Brigitte Gaubin said, “What we have seen is the use of organised crime elements, and it’s been publicly attributed to one organised crime gang in particular… The Bishnoi group is connected to the agents of India.”
And, according to The Washington Post, the killing of Sukhdool Singh Gill alias Sukha Duneke in September last year has been cited by Canadian officials as part of a broader campaign of violence against Indian dissidents allegedly orchestrated by the Indian government. Duneke was wanted in Punjab in cases of extortion, attempt to murder and murder. He was also chargesheeted by the NIA, alleging that money he along with associates collected from extortion was ultimately used to fund the cause of Khalistan and plan acts of terror.
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But soon after Duneke’s murder, Lawrence Bishnoi and Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, who were his rivals, claimed responsibility for the act in separate Facebook posts.
Interestingly, in its chargesheet of March 2023, the NIA had said, “The (Bishnoi) syndicate is trying to settle its important members and executors abroad in the countries of their wish with the help of pro-Khalistan elements who are well settled in various countries across the world. This created a symbiotic terrorist-gangster network between gangster and pro-Khalistan elements which fulfil their requirement of the shooters to carry out targeted killings, who in return, get sophisticated weapons from across the border.”
When asked about NIA’s charges against Bishnoi, his advocate Rajani rejected the allegations. “No phone has been recovered from Bishnoi in jail. There is no mode of communication which has been established by any investigative agency,” she told The Indian Express.
Lawrence Bishnoi has been in jail since 2014 after he had his first armed encounter with police personnel at a picket en route to the Salasar Balaji Temple. He is currently lodged in Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad. The charges against him range from the alleged assassination of a liquor businessmen in the NCR to the hit on Siddhu Moosewala over a span of 17 years since 2007 when he first went behind bars for allegedly opening fire on a candidate for student elections at Panjab University.
Nirbhay Thakur is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express who primarily covers district courts in Delhi and has reported on the trials of many high-profile cases since 2023.
Professional Background
Education: Nirbhay is an economics graduate from Delhi University.
Beats: His reporting spans the trial courts, and he occasionally interviews ambassadors and has a keen interest in doing data stories.
Specializations: He has a specific interest in data stories related to courts.
Core Strength: Nirbhay is known for tracking long-running legal sagas and providing meticulous updates on high-profile criminal trials.
Recent notable articles
In 2025, he has written long form articles and two investigations. Along with breaking many court stories, he has also done various exclusive stories.
1) A long form on Surender Koli, accused in the Nithari serial killings of 2006. He was acquitted after spending 2 decades in jail. was a branded man. Deemed the “cannibal" who allegedly lured children to his employer’s house in Noida, murdered them, and “ate their flesh” – his actions cited were cited as evidence of human depravity at its worst. However, the SC acquitted him finding various lapses in the investigation. The Indian Express spoke to his lawyers and traced the 2 decades journey.
2) For decades, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has been at the forefront of the Government’s national rankings, placed at No. 2 over the past two years alone. It has also been the crucible of campus activism, its protests often spilling into national debates, its student leaders going on to become the faces and voices of political parties of all hues and thoughts. The Indian Express looked at all court cases spanning over two decades and did an investigation.
3) Investigation on the 700 Delhi riots cases. The Indian Express found that in 17 of 93 acquittals (which amounted to 85% of the decided cases) in Delhi riots cases, courts red-flag ‘fabricated’ evidence and pulled up the police.
Signature Style
Nirbhay’s writing is characterized by its procedural depth. He excels at summarizing 400-page chargesheets and complex court orders into digestible news for the general public.
X (Twitter): @Nirbhaya99 ... Read More
Jatin Anand is an Assistant Editor with the national political bureau of The Indian Express. With over 16 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is a seasoned expert in national governance, electoral politics, and bureaucratic affairs. Having covered high-stakes beats including the Election Commission of India (ECI), intelligence, and urban development, Jatin provides authoritative analysis of the forces shaping Indian democracy. He is an alumnus of Zakir Husain Delhi College (DU) and the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, where he specialized in Print Journalism.
Expertise
High-Stakes Beat Coverage: Throughout his decade-and-a-half career, Jatin has covered some of the most sensitive and influential beats in the country, including:
The Election Commission of India (ECI): Monitoring electoral policy, reforms, and the conduct of national and state polls.
National Security & Intelligence: Reporting on the internal mechanisms and developments within India's security apparatus.
Urban Development: Analyzing the policies and bureaucratic processes driving the transformation of India’s cities.
National Political Bureau: In his current role, he tracks the intersection of policy and politics, offering deep-dive reporting on the Union government and national political movements.
Academic Credentials:
Zakir Husain Delhi College (DU): Alumnus of one of Delhi's premier institutions.
Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai: Specialized in Print Journalism at India's most prestigious journalism school. ... Read More
