Moosewala murder: Delhi court rejects gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's plea

A Delhi court Monday refused to entertain a plea filed by alleged jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, accused in Punjabi singer and Congress leader Sidhu Moosewala's killing, seeking a direction to the jail authorities not to give his custody to the Punjab police, court sources said.

Special judge Praveen Singh said there was no ground for the accused to file the application before the court.

The application had sought a direction to the Tihar jail authorities for giving prior information to the court about any production warrant of Punjab or any other state police against Bishnoi and not to give his custody to any other state police.

It alleged that the accused was having apprehensions of a fake encounter by the Punjab police due to political rivalry.

The accused is currently facing trial for offences committed under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act in New Delhi.

The application said that any state police could investigate any case pending against him at the Tihar jail without obtaining his physical custody or may produce him to any other court through video conferencing.

In case his production warrant was allowed, then the counsels for the accused be informed and his custody be given with a condition of proper security arrangements as the accused shall be handcuffed and shackled, it said. It also added that all necessary safeguards during transit be done and on production warrant, and also ensure that adequate arrangements are made while producing the applicant to any other court outside of Delhi, it said.

The Punjab police on Sunday said the killing of popular singer Sidhu Moosewala seemed to be the result of an inter-gang rivalry and that the Lawrence Bishnoi gang was involved in it.

Moosewala was shot dead on Sunday by unidentified assailants in Punjab's Mansa district, a day after the state government curtailed his security cover.