Salman Case: Maharashtra cops to quiz Lawrence Bishnoi

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Jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's brother Anmol, who in a Facebook post has claimed responsibility for the firing outside the house of Bollywood actor Salman Khan in Mumbai, is wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in multiple cases involving terrorist-gangster links.

The agency has also named Anmol for allegedly carrying out extortion activities from abroad. Meanwhile, Lawrence, NIA officials said, continues to be involved in criminal activities despite being in jail. He has never applied for bail. The Mumbai Police plan to question him in connection with the firing incident earlier this week.

The NIA and police in several states have questioned Lawrence in cases of extortion and targeted killing. The NIA has drawn comparison between him and Dawood Ibrahim and noted this in chargesheets. Like Dawood Ibrahim, he has become a notorious gangster and started assisting terrorist organisations, according to the NIA. "His terror syndicate has consistently been aiming to destabilise law and order in North India through targeted killings, extortion and attempts to murder."

Interrogation of the two people arrested in the shooting case revealed that they were alleged directed by their handler to leave the city immediately after the firing episode, people in the know of the investigation said. According to these people, the handler also directed them not to return to their home state or any of the states where the police are investigating members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.

"The handler also advised them not to check into any hotel or lodge as there could be CCTV coverage and they might get into trouble. Place of worship was an option suggested to them, following which they stayed at a temple in Bhuj," an official said.

The Mumbai Police said the shooters landed in Mumbai on February 29 and tried looking to rent a place close to the actor's residence. In March, they moved to Panvel and rented an apartment for ₹3,500 per month in the Harigram village by providing their Aadhaar details. They also made an advance payment of ₹10,000.

The alleged shooters purchased a motorbike on April 2 from a Navi Mumbai resident for Rs 24,000. They returned to their village in Champaran, Bihar, to celebrate Holi and returned on April 28, the police said.

According to the NIA, Lawrence Bishnoi's gang is one of the most feared terror syndicates in North India, with about 700 members, including around 300 from Punjab.