Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother Anmol held in California; Indian officials, FBI discuss possibility of his return

Sources said the US Immigration Department found that one of Anmol’s travel documents was forged.

“Anmol fled to the US on May 15, 2022 after making a fake passport in the name of one Bhanu. But he was exposed after the US Immigration Department found that one of the reference letters of a company, attached to his travel documents, was forged,” a source said.

Following his detention last Thursday, three FBI officials Friday met senior officials of multiple Indian agencies, headed by a senior official of the CBI, to discuss Anmol’s case status, a source in the security establishment said.

“In a meeting that lasted 45 minutes, the FBI officials discussed the cases and evidence against Anmol. Matters regarding his deportation will be clear once the outcome of his application for asylum is known,” the source said.

The FBI officials are said to have also discussed Anmol’s alleged involvement in the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique and in the firing outside actor Salman Khan’s Mumbai residence.

“After the meeting, all Central agencies have started reopening their case files, making a list of direct/strong evidence against Anmol,” the source said.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for Anmol, an accused in two crimes chargesheeted by the agency. He was allegedly instrumental in the killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, who was shot dead in May 2022 – around eight months after Anmol was released on bail from a Jodhpur jail. Following the murder, Anmol disappeared and left India, allegedly on a fake passport.

In 2023, he was spotted at a wedding in California and was photographed along with leading Punjabi singers – a Red Corner Notice had been issued against him on December 6, 2022.

The Indian government shared the coordinates of Anmol with the US government, asking it to make a provisional arrest.

In September this year, the Rajasthan Police said there were 31 cases, including 22 cases in Rajasthan, and nine arrest warrants against Anmol.

He has also been implicated in the case of shots being fired outside Salman Khan’s residence on April 14. On November 5, Mumbai Police said in court that during its probe into the firing incident, an audio clip of Anmol and arrested accused Vicky Gupta, a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, was found.

Earlier this month, police told a special court that they want to find out whether Anmol was involved in the October 12 murder of Baba Siddique. Last month, police told the court that they were initiating extradition proceedings against Anmol.

According to police in Delhi, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang has a criminal syndicate encompassing Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi, and that Anmol is among those believed to be managing the gang’s “extortion operations” from abroad.