Delhi police get Bishnoi custody, will question him on Moosewala murder

The Delhi police's special cell on Tuesday got three-day custody of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi after arresting him from Tihar in a case of Arms Act and will question him again in connection with the killing of famous Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, officials said.

On Monday also a team of special cell had interrogated Bishnoi, who is facing nearly 60 cases, in Tihar.

Gangster Kala Jathedi and his aide Kala Rana, who were in police custody in a different case, were also questioned in connection with the killing of Moosewala.

According to officials, after questioning him in Tihar prisons where he was lodged in Central Jail no 8, Bishnoi was produced at the Patiala House court and was remanded to three days of police custody for questioning in connection with the case where three criminals were arrested after a brief encounter with the special cell's unit last month.

During interrogation, the arrested criminals had disclosed that the weapons recovered from them were supplied by Bishnoi, a senior police official said.

Bishnoi faces charges under the Arms Act and other sections related to assault on a public servant in the case.

"Since Bishnoi has been taken into police custody, we will also be questioning him in connection with the killing of Moosewala in Punjab," the official added.

The development comes a day after a Delhi court refused to entertain a plea filed by Bishnoi seeking a direction to the jail authorities not to give his custody to the Punjab police, which suspects that he had plotted the singer's killing.

"On Tuesday, gangster Bishnoi was questioned for a few hours by the special cell unit and then was arrested in a different case. He was then taken to a Delhi court to get his police custody," a jail official said.

When contacted, Bishnoi's advocate Vishal Chopra told PTI that "Lawrence Bishnoi has been taken into three days of police remand in a different case. It has nothing to do with the Moosewala killing case."

Bishnoi has been taken into police custody in connection with an old case of firing and Arms Act wherein the arrested criminal cited that he had sourced the weapon from Bishnoi. He would be next produced before the court on June 4, he added.

Meanwhile, the Delhi high court will hear on Wednesday a plea by jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, claiming apprehension of a fake encounter by the Punjab police.

The plea has sought direction to the Tihar Jail authority and the Delhi police to ensure that necessary safeguards, including videography, are taken for his safety before giving his custody to any other state police, including the Punjab police.

The petition has been listed before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma for hearing on Wednesday.

Bishnoi has approached the high court after a Delhi court refused to entertain his plea.

He was lodged in Tihar Jail in connection with a case under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act and was on Tuesday remanded in three-day custody of the Delhi police special cell after it arrested him in an Arms Act case.

On May 29, Moosewala was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Punjab's Mansa district, a day after the state government curtailed his security cover. His cousin and a friend, who were travelling in a jeep with him, were also injured in the attack.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has announced setting up a judicial commission headed by a sitting high court judge to probe the killing of 28-year-old Moosewala.

Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, known as Sidhu Moosewala, was among the 424 people whose security was withdrawn or curtailed on May 28 temporarily.

Punjab police chief VK Bhawra had claimed that prima facie, it seemed to be an inter-gang rivalry between Lawrence Bishnoi Group and Lucky Patial group.

Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar has allegedly claimed responsibility for the murder on May 29 and said it was planned by him and the Lawrence Bishnoi group.