A Delhi court has granted the National Investigation Agency (NIA) an additional seven days to keep alleged gangster Anmol Bishnoi in its custody. This extension allows investigators to continue their interrogation in a case linked to a larger terror conspiracy.
Court Grants Custody Extension for Deeper Probe
The order was passed by Special Judge Shailendra Malik of the Patiala House Courts. The NIA had sought a 10-day extension, arguing that Bishnoi's custodial interrogation was essential to uncover the full scope of the conspiracy and identify other individuals involved. The agency's legal team presented that they needed to confront the accused with fresh evidence and documents recovered during the investigation.
Anmol Bishnoi, the younger brother of incarcerated gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, was initially remanded to NIA custody on March 7, 2024. He was arrested by the agency from Delhi's IGI Airport upon his deportation from the island nation of Vanuatu. The NIA alleges he is a key conspirator in a plot to carry out terrorist acts across India, using funds generated through extortion and other criminal activities.
The Allegations and International Links
The case stems from an FIR registered by the NIA in July 2022. The central agency claims that members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang were involved in raising funds through extortion and smuggling to finance terrorist activities. These activities were allegedly planned in coordination with associates based abroad, including in Pakistan and Canada.
Anmol Bishnoi is specifically accused of managing the gang's operations and communications from overseas. Investigators believe he played a pivotal role in directing criminal activities and terror plots from foreign soil, acting on instructions from his brother Lawrence. The NIA has cited his social media posts, which reportedly took responsibility for certain violent incidents, as part of the evidence against him.
The agency informed the court that his custodial interrogation is crucial to trace the flow of illicit funds, understand the communication channels used with handlers abroad, and dismantle the entire network. The seven-day extension is seen as a critical period for the NIA to extract this information.
Legal Proceedings and Future Implications
During the court proceedings, Anmol Bishnoi's legal counsel opposed the NIA's plea for extended custody. The defense argued that the agency had already had sufficient time to question their client and that further detention was unnecessary. However, the court, after considering the NIA's submissions on the complexity and interstate/international dimensions of the case, found merit in granting a seven-day extension, albeit shorter than the 10 days requested.
This development marks a significant phase in the NIA's crackdown on organized crime syndicates suspected of links to terrorism. The investigation into the Lawrence Bishnoi gang has seen multiple arrests and chargesheets filed over the past two years. The extension of Anmol Bishnoi's custody underscores the seriousness of the charges and the investigative agency's focus on unraveling the financial and logistical backbone of the alleged conspiracy.
The next hearing in the matter is expected after the expiry of the newly granted custody period. The NIA is likely to continue its probe into the wider network, which may lead to further arrests or revelations in this high-profile case linking organized crime to national security threats.
