Mumbai/Alive News: Mumbai Police have been unable to question gangster Lawrence Bishnoi in several major criminal cases because a Union Home Ministry order restricts his transfer from Sabarmati Jail in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The restriction has complicated investigations into crimes allegedly linked to his gang, including the 2024 firing outside actor Salman Khan’s residence and the killing of NCP leader Baba Siddique.
The order, first issued in 2023 under Section 268 of the Criminal Procedure Code and subsequently renewed under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), cites concerns over public order and security. Investigating agencies can seek permission to question Bishnoi inside the jail or through video conferencing.
Bishnoi has been lodged in Sabarmati Jail since 2023. His gang has also been linked to an alleged firing incident involving actor Tiger Shroff, prompting renewed concern in Maharashtra.
In the latest case, three suspected shooters were reportedly arrested at Kota railway station in Rajasthan. Police are investigating alleged links between them and Bishnoi’s associates.
The restrictions have drawn comparisons with underworld don Chhota Rajan, who received similar protection after being brought to India in 2015 and lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail. Bishnoi’s brother, Anmol, has also reportedly been granted protection against transfer.
Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal has urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to seek withdrawal of the restrictions, arguing that investigators need greater access to Bishnoi to establish the wider conspiracy behind the alleged crimes.
