Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala was shot dead in Mansa yesterday
The leader of a criminal gang, which has claimed responsibility for the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala, has gone to court in a bid to stop the Punjab Police from taking him with them.
The gang leader, Lawrence Bishnoi, has been serving time in Delhi's Tihar Jail in an organised crime case under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, or MCOCA, which has very tough conditions for granting bail.
In his petition to Delhi's Patiala House Court, Lawrence Bishnoi said he should not be handed over to the Punjab Police because he fears he would be killed in an "encounter".
Lawrence Bishnoi's gang member, Goldy Brar, who lives in Canada, has in a Facebook post claimed responsibility for killing Sidhu Moose Wala yesterday. The singer was shot at least 30 times from an automatic assault rifle while he was driving his SUV.
Lawrence Bishnoi is a former Delhi University student leader. His lawyer denied his involvement and questioned: "How can such a huge murder conspiracy be planned from jail?"
The Punjab Police suspect gang rivalry behind Sidhu Moose Wala's killing. Investigations reveal Goldy Brar was in touch with someone inside Tihar jail.
A key suspect was earlier today detained from Uttarakhand's Dehradun in a joint operation by the state police and their Punjab counterparts.
This suspect was found hiding among pilgrims going for the Hemkund Sahib yatra in the mountains. Five others who were detained along with the main suspect from Dehradun are in Punjab Police's custody.