UK-based associate of Lawrence Bishnoi commissioned hit on comedian Munawar Faruqui

According to police, following the murder of Afghan national Nadir Shah last month, police arrested 10 people and found that Bishnoi was behind this attack too. “While questioning the men, police found that some of them had also conducted a recce of a prominent hotel in New Friends Colony, but were not aware of their target at the time,” a source said.

This input was shared by central intelligence agencies with the Delhi Police, along with information that a Muslim comedian appeared to be on the hit list of Bishnoi’s gang, though they did not know who it was.

“That’s when a team of Delhi Police, who were simultaneously probing Nadir Shah’s murder, visited the hotel in New Friends Colony last month and found Faruqui’s name on the guest list. Faruqui was in Delhi to participate in the Entertainers Cricket League,” said the source.

The police immediately went to Indira Gandhi International stadium, where they met Faruqui and alerted him about the situation.

Faruqui later left for Mumbai, with the Delhi police providing him security cover and also asking their Mumbai counterparts to do the same, The Indian Express has learnt.

“Police also checked the guest list of a hotel in nearby Nehru Place, and found that two persons who recently came out on bail were staying there,” said the source.

Sharing details of what the accused allegedly hired to target Faruqui told investigators, a source said, “He claimed he was approached by Godara over the phone and asked to eliminate Faruqui. He along with his associate conducted a recce in Mumbai as well as Delhi.

However, since there was no particular case filed in connection with the threat on Faruqui’s life, this man was arrested in an earlier case lodged in Haryana against him,” said the source. His accomplice is absconding, sources said.