The United States has deported 200 Indian nationals, including notorious gangster Anmol Bishnoi, back to India. This significant move marks a crucial step in India’s fight against organised crime and fugitive criminals abroad.
In a significant coordinated deportation operation, the United States has sent back 200 Indian nationals, including alleged gangster Anmol Bishnoi, two fugitives wanted in Punjab, and 197 undocumented migrants. The flight, which has already departed from the US, is scheduled to land at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport at 10 am on Wednesday, officials confirmed.
Bishnoi, the younger brother of jailed gang leader Lawrence Bishnoi, is wanted in several high-profile criminal cases across India, including the murder of former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique and the April 2024 shooting outside actor Salman Khan’s residence.
FAKE PASSPORT, SECRET ESCAPE
Intelligence sources say Anmol fled India in April 2022 using a forged passport, just weeks before singer Sidhu Moosewala was shot dead on 29 May that year.
He is believed to have been travelling on fraudulent Russian documents, moving between the US and Canada until he was eventually traced and detained.
Investigators allege he continued running gang operations from abroad via encrypted communication platforms.
HELD IN US WITH ELECTRONIC MONITORING
Sources added that after being detained in California last year, Anmol remained in police custody and was placed under an ankle monitor, a GPS-enabled electronic device used to track suspects, parolees and individuals under judicial supervision.
These monitors are typically used for people released on bail, those under house arrest, people freed on probation or parole, or anyone placed under court-ordered surveillance. The device is usually a black strap with a small, locked tracking box, which cannot be easily removed.
His final deportation is being carried out from Louisiana, officials said.
VICTIM’S FAMILY KEPT PURSUING US AUTHORITIES
NCP leader and former MLA Zeeshan Siddique, son of the late Baba Siddique, said he received an email confirming that Anmol had been “removed” from US territory.
He said his family had registered a victim contact status with US agencies, which entitled them to official updates. He urged the Centre to ensure his immediate arrest upon landing.
He also said he had repeatedly written to US authorities detailing his father’s killing and the suspected role of the Bishnoi network.
Zeeshan added that he had raised concerns about his own security with Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and Union Minister Devendra Fadnavis, requesting a review after the recent developments.
