Mumbai cops move proposal for Anmol Bishnoi's extradition after alert from US
Mumbai (PTI): The Mumbai police have forwarded a proposal for extradition of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's younger brother Anmol Bishnoi, who has been named as an accused in some high-profile crimes, including the Baba Siddique murder case, an official said.
The proposal was sent after the US authorities informed the Mumbai police about Anmol Bishnoi's presence in their country, the senior police official said on Saturday.
Last month, the Mumbai police's crime branch moved the special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court here stating that it intends to "initiate the extradition procedure of fugitive criminal Anmol Bishnoi". It filed an affidavit "for further necessary action", which was allowed by the special court.
Both Lawrence and Anmol Bishnoi have been named as wanted accused in the April 14 firing incident outside the Bollywood actor Salman Khan's Galaxy Apartment in Mumbai's Bandra area.
Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal had carried out the firing. They, along with Sonukumar Bishnoi, Mohammed Rafiq Choudhary and Harpal Singh, were arrested and are currently in judicial custody.
One accused Anujkumar Thapan committed suicide during his police custody.
In the chargesheet filed in the case, police have shown Lawrence Bishnoi and Anmol Bishnoi as wanted accused in the case.
NCP leader and former MLA Baba Siddique was shot dead by three gunmen near the office of his MLA-son Zeeshan Siddique on October 12. The police have so far arrested 15 persons in connection with the murder. The role of Bishnoi brothers, who hail from Fazilka in Punjab, is suspected in the case.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) recently announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for information leading to the arrest of Anmol Bishnoi.
Lawrence Bishnoi is currently lodged in a jail in Sabarmati in Gujarat.
A lookout circular was issued in April against Anmol Bishnoi, who had claimed responsibility for the firing incident outside Salman Khan's residence.
An FIR was also registered by the NIA against nine accused, including both the Bishnoi brothers, in August 2022 for being part of a conspiracy to "raise funds, recruit youth to carry out terrorist acts in the Union Territory of Delhi and other parts of the country" besides "targeted killings of prominent persons".
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
