Chandigarh: Punjab Police arrested gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's close aid, who provided hideouts for singer Sidhu Moosewala's murderers, PTI reported.
Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said that police arrested Mandeep Singh alias Chotta Mani, along with an accomplice, Jatinder Singh of Gobindpura Mohalla in Manimajra. They recovered two pistols along with 12 live cartridges.
In a breakthrough, #AGTF Punjab has arrested two operatives: Mandeep Singh & Jatinder Singh of Lawrence Bishnoi & Goldy Brar Gang
— DGP Punjab Police (@DGPPunjabPolice) February 3, 2024
Mandeep had provided hideouts to the accused involved in Sidhu Moosewala's murder and also facilitated the escape of Gangster Deepak Tinu in 2017 1/3 pic.twitter.com/8IarMLvKBP
Following reliable inputs about the presence of Chotta Mani in the Zirakpur area, teams of Punjab Police's Anti-Gangster Task Force traced him and arrested him along with an associate, he said.
Both the accused were actively working for Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar gangs and have a criminal history. Cases of attempt to murder, extortion, robbery and those under the Arms Act are registered against them in Chandigarh and Haryana, he said.
Mr Yadav said Chotta Mani arranged hideouts for the killers of Moosewala, who was shot dead in May 2022.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused were tasked with carrying out targeted killings of rival gangsters by their handlers based abroad, the DGP said.
Assistant Inspector General Sandeep Goel said Bishnoi wanted to help Chotta Mani settle abroad and sent him to Dubai thrice to facilitate his safe entry into Europe.
But Chotta Mani couldn't get into Europe and was forced to return to India, Inspector Goel said.