Lawrence Bishnoi is an accused in Sidhu Moose Wala murder case
A gangster who is a suspect in the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala is not cooperating with the police during interrogation, Delhi Police sources have said. The gangster, Lawrence Bishnoi, has denied any role in the killing of the Punjabi singer on Sunday, the sources said.
Lawrence Bishnoi has been serving time in Delhi's Tihar Jail in a separate case. The Delhi Police's Special Cell took him into their custody in the old case to interrogate him.
The gangster's aide in Canada, Goldy Brar, in an unverified Facebook post claimed responsibility for the singer's murder. Lawence Bishnoi, however, told the police he or people linked to his gang had no role in Sunday's shooting, sources said.
The gangster told the police he is not aware about social media posts claiming responsibility for Sidhu Moose Wala's murder by any of gang members, police sources said.
The police believe Lawrence Bishnoi is lying, people with direct knowledge of the matter said.
Lawrence Bishnoi also told the police that Sidhu Moose Wala was killed in revenge for the murder of Youth Akali Dal leader Vikramjit Singh, also known as Vicky Middukhera. Middukhera was shot dead last year.
An unverified Facebook post by a rival gang member said Lawrence Bishnoi's gang falsely claimed Sidhu Moose Wala had helped in the killings of Vicky Middukhera and Punjab student leader Gurlal Brar.
The Punjab Police are yet to narrow down on the identity of the shooters, though one suspect has been arrested from Uttarakhand.
The Punjab Police will interrogate Lawrence Bishnoi next. The gangster's petition in a court against allowing Punjab cops to take him into their custody, fearing an "encounter", was withdrawn.
Sidhu Moose Wala was shot dead while he was driving his SUV in Punjab's Mansa district. A day before he was killed, two of his four security commandos were called back by the police, leaving only two commandos to guard the singer, who contested the Punjab elections earlier this year.
On Sunday, he did not take his bulletproof vehicle or the two bodyguards.
The Punjab Police have said Lawrence Bishnoi's gang and Goldy Brar are the key suspects.