Sidhu Moosewala murder case accused Sachin Bishnoi extradited from Azerbaijan

New Delhi: In a significant development, gangster Sachin Bishnoi, who was allegedly connected to the murder of popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, has been successfully extradited from Azerbaijan, Delhi Police’s Special Cell officials confirmed on Tuesday morning.

Officers from the Special Cell had travelled to Azerbaijan’s capital Baku to closely monitor the progress of the case. The extradition of Bishnoi, who also goes by the alias Sachin Thapan, marks a significant breakthrough in the ongoing investigation, Special CP Special Cell, HGS Dhaliwal said.

Sources reveal that Bishnoi played a key role in planning the murder and was involved in misleading the authorities during the investigation. He had left India before Moosewala’s killing and took refuge in Dubai, using a fake passport issued under the name of Tilak Raj Tuteja with an address in Sangam Vihar, south Delhi. During his time in Dubai, he facilitated reconnaissance efforts and provided one of the vehicles used by the assailants.

According to the sources, Bishnoi deliberately tried to mislead the investigators by falsely claiming responsibility for the singer’s murder. His attempts to divert attention from his involvement further complicated the case.

It is reported that Bishnoi later travelled to Baku, where he was detained in August last year. He had initially hoped to evade extradition by relying on India’s good relations with the country. However, his bail application in Azerbaijan was rejected, leading to his eventual extradition to India, Dhaliwal confirmed.

In addition to his alleged involvement in the murder of Sidhu Moosewala, Bishnoi faces other charges, including the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MACOCA) and an attempt to murder at the Mohan Garden police station, among other cases linked to the Special Cell.

Accompanying Bishnoi in fleeing the country using forged passports before the murder was another accused, Anmol Bishnoi, who happens to be the brother of notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.

The investigation into Sidhu Moosewala’s murder has also led to the arrest of Vikramjeet Singh alias Vikram Brar, a key aide of the incarcerated gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.

Brar, upon deportation from the UAE to India, was found to be involved in the killing of Moosewala as well as cases of weapon smuggling and extortion with the assistance of Lawrence Bishnoi, Goldy Brar, and other notorious criminals, Dhaliwal said.

Sidhu Moosewala, a rising star in the Punjabi music industry, was killed on May 29, 2022, when he was shot dead in Punjab’s Mansa district. The extradition of Sachin Bishnoi from Azerbaijan is expected to shed further light on the intricate details of the crime and aid the ongoing investigation.