Punjab Police arrests key operative of Lawrence Bishnoi gang

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Police's Anti Gangster Task Force (AGTF) on Friday arrested a key operative of Lawrence Bishnoi gang and recovered a .30 caliber China-made pistol along with six live cartridges from his possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav.

The arrested accused has been identified as Rajveer Singh alias Ravi Rajgarh, a resident of Rajgarh village in Khanna district.

The accused was in touch with Lawrence Bishnoi and Canada-based terrorist Goldy Brar for the past 13-14 years and has been carrying out criminal activities at their behest.

He has a criminal history with cases pertaining to murder, attempts to murder and arms act etc, registered in the state.

Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said that AGTF headed by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Promod Ban, on reliable inputs, had sent a police team led by two Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) under the supervision of Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) AGTF, to Rajgarh and arrested Rajveer Singh from Sector 79 in SAS Nagar when he was driving a posh car.

The preliminary investigations revealed that accused Ravi Rajgarh was providing hideouts, logistic support, arms and vehicles to the members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, he said, adding that the accused also facilitated associates of Lawrence Bishnoi gang to procure passports on fake particulars to escape abroad.

The DGP said that interrogation of accused Ravi Rajgarh and a detailed probe, in this case, will further help in unearthing criminal activities planned by Lawrence Bishnoi-Goldy Brar gang in Punjab and adjoining states.

Meanwhile, accused Ravi Rajgarh has been arrested in a criminal case dated June 20, 2022, under sections 384, 392, 465, 466, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 12 of the Passport Act and section 25 of the Arms Act registered at Police Station State Crime, Mohali.

Notably, the accused was also wanted in an arms act case registered at Doraha police station in April 2022.

On November 23, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Bishnoi in a case related to the alleged conspiracy to recruit youth to carry out terror strikes in Delhi and other parts of the country.

Punjabi singer popularly known as Sidhu Moosewala was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Jawaharke village of Mansa district in Punjab on May 29 this year.

The incident occurred two days after Punjab Police withdrew the security cover of 424 persons including Moosewala.