SIDHU MOOSEWALA KILLING Murder plot hatched in August ’21; Attempt made in Jan

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SIDHU MOOSEWALA KILLING Murder plot hatched in August ’21; Attempt made in Jan

Friday, 24 June 2022 | Monika Malik | Chandigarh

Plans to eliminate Punjabi singer-politician Sidhu Moosewala were made in August last year and an attempt at his life was to be made in January this year, “gangster” Lawrence Bishnoi — the “prime accused” in the matter — has allegedly told the Punjab police while “confessing” his hand in the brutal killing.

 

As per revelations made by Lawrence Bishnoi during his interrogation by Punjab police, the “shooters” had reached Sidhu Moosewala’s home town, Mansa, on May 25 — four days before the Punjabi singer’s killing on May 29. “Since then, they were looking for an opportunity to kill Moosewala. An attempt was also made on May 27 also, but they could not succeed,” said the state Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Anti-Gangster Task Force (SGTF), Pramod Ban, who is heading the investigation in the matter.

 

Ban, addressing the media to share the status of the probe into Sidhu Moosewala’s killing, maintained that his killers had started planning Moosewala’s murder in August last year, and recce were conducted at least thrice.

 

He said that a group of shooters had reached Mansa in January “but could not succeed. Then, a different group of shooters reached Mansa on May 25, who ultimately succeeded in killing Sidhu Moosewala on May 29 in which AK-series weapon was used besides 9 mm pistols”.

 

“Shooters had brought some weapons with them but they also received more weapons here. The first attempt to kill Moosewala was planned on May 25 but it could not work out,” he added.

 

The ADGP said that till now, total 13 accused have been arrested in the case, including the latest arrest of Sirsa-resident Baldev alias Nikku on Thursday.

 

Ban said that Nikku had carried out recce along with Sandeep Kekda, took selfie with Moosewala outside his house on May 29, gave signal to the waiting shooters, and passed on the real-time information through video call to Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar and Lawerence Bishnoi’s associate Sachin Thapan, in Dubai, to execute the murder plan.

 

“Nikku and Kekda had already passed on the information that Sidhu Moosewala was in the driver’s seat in the non-bullet proof vehicle, without any security. They also followed Sidhu Moosewala’s Thar for some distance on the bike, and then signalled the shooters waiting on the road in Corolla and Bolero. After signalling them, both of them left from there,” said Ban, adding that Nikku is a proclaimed offender in at least 14 other cases.

 

Ban said that the accused “on the ground” were not in direct touch with Lawrence Bishnoi, but Goldy Brar and Sachin Thapan were.

 

Disclosing further, AGTF chief said that during interrogation, Lawrence Bishnoi has confessed that he had hatched the conspiracy to kill Moosewala with his younger brother Anmol, Goldy Brar, and Sachin Thapan. “Bishnoi said that he was using a mobile phone inside the Tihar jail to remain in contact with others,” he added.

 

Revenge of Middukhera killing real motive: ADGP

 

ADGP Ban said that the murder of Youth Akali leader Vicky Middukhera in Mohali was the real motive behind Moosewala’s killing. “Lawrence Bishnoi suspected that Moosewala was involved in the murder of Middukhera, who was his college friend....As per police investigation, Moosewala’s hand in Middukhera’s killing was not established...This is just an assumption or suspicion by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang,” he added.

 

Sachin Thapan’s confession in TV interview a ploy to misled the probe: ADGP

 

Referring to the interview Sachin Thapan gave to a media channel claiming that he had shot at Moosewala, ADGP Ban said: “This was aimed to mislead the police...The idea was that the police would search Sachin, and others will escape easily.” ADGP said that in January, Lawrence Bishnoi had sent his brother Anmol abroad for his safety in the follow up of the murder which was in the planning stage at the time. Sachin Bishnoi (Thapan) had gone abroad in April. It has been learnt they both were in Dubai.  Fake passports, made outside Punjab, were used by Sachin and Anmol, he said adding, “We have started proceedings for their extradition”.

 

A separate FIR has been registered in this case under the Passport Act and other sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Mohali, and the matter is being taken up with the appropriate authorities to probe issuance of fake passports and their extradition. “We had also got details about the financiers of these gangsters, weapon suppliers, and other helping hands, and as many as 19 accused had been arrested by different district police,” he said.

 

AK-series weapon used in attack: ADGP

 

Contrary to the previous theory of shooters using AN94 to kill Moosewala, ADGP Ban claimed that a pistol and AK-series weapons were used in the murder. He said: “We are waiting for forensic analysis of weapons recovered from shooters by Delhi police to state if these were used in Moosewala's killing or not.”

 

Punjab Police to question shooter Priyavrat Fauji in Delhi

 

Punjab police team is in New Delhi to interrogate the arrested shooter Priyawarat Fauji and others, who are in custody of the Delhi police. Notably, Delhi police special cell had arrested two shooters — Fauji and Kashis alias Kuldeep; and Keshav who had transported the shooters of the Bolero module after the incident. “Shooter Priyavrat Fauji has been arrested by the Delhi police special cell and some weapons were also recovered which would be analysed by the forensic experts whether they match with the one used in the murder,” said ADGP Ban.

 

147 Gangsters/Criminals Arrested by AGTF till date

 

Since the constitution of the AGTF, as many as 147 gangsters and criminals have been arrested, 37 gangster modules have been busted, and over 130 weapons along with ammunition have been recovered, said ADGP Ban. Ban said that the police have received some complaints from the Punjabi music industry about extortion and threats. “Since the murder, about 35 ransom calls in name of Lawrence and Goldy Brar have been made but these are being done by local criminals or conmen making calls via internet. Some originated from Jarkhand and Madhya Pradesh,” he said.

 

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