Sidhu Moose Wala Murder: NIA Conducts Raids In Haryana's Sonipat

NIA carried out raids in Sonipat, Haryana, in association with the murder of Congress Leader and Singer-Rapper Sidhu Moosewala.

Sidhu Moose Wala was shot dead on May 29, 2022.

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The National Investigation Agency team carried out several raids in Sonipat, Haryana, related to the Sidhu Moosewala murder case on Thursday. Sidhu Moose Wala, a 28-year-old Punjabi singer and Congress leader, was brutally murdered in broad daylight in Jawaharke village, Mansa district in Punjab, a day after his security was curtailed. He was attacked by eight assailants who fired 30 rounds at him over an alleged gang rivalry on May 29, 2022.

VIDEO | NIA conducts raids in connection with #SidhuMooseWala murder case in Sonipat, Haryana. pic.twitter.com/ofm93XDhnI

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Two of his security personnel had been withdrawn. However, he did not take the other two and even ditched his bulletproof car on the day of his assassination. He was accompanied by his cousin Gurpreet Singh and neighbour Gurwinder Singh in a Thar. The duo was injured in the attack as well. 

According to an FIR filed by Sidhu's father, 'The Last Ride' singer was receiving threats from several gangs, including Lawrence Bhishnoi Group, for extortion. 

As per DGP Bhawra, the Lawrence Bhishnoi gang was behind this attack. This was deduced from a post that surfaced on Facebook, which said, "In the incident with Sidhu Moosewala, I, Goldy Brar, Sachin Bishnoi, and Lawrence Bishnoi Group take the responsibility for it. His name was taken in our brothers Vicky Middukhehra and Gurlal Brar's deaths, but the police did not take any action. He was also involved in our brother Ankit Bhadu's encounter. He was going against us. Delhi Police directly named him in front of media but he remained protected becasue of his power, no action was initiated against him."

Soon after, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwat Mann ordered a probe into his murder case and said that he would get an inquiry done by a sitting judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Subsequently, the Punjab Police, along with a Special Task Force of Punjab and Uttarakhand, conducted a joint operation in Delhi's Tihar jails no. 8 and 5, where Bishnoi and Nehra, and Bhawanpuria are lodged, respectively. They detained six people from Peliyon Police Chowki, Dehradun, in connection with the murder case, including a person named Manpreet, who allegedly provided logistical support to the attackers. No mobile phones were found in the Delhi's Tihar Jail from the suspected murderers' cells. 

After interrogation by the Delhi Police Special Cell, Bishnoi admitted to his gang's involvement in the crime. Later, the Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) of Delhi Police, HS Dhaliwal, declared Bishnoi the mastermind in the Sidhu Moosewala murder.

The jailed gangster had revealed to the NIA that he had also tried to kill Sidhu before, but that attempt was unsuccessful. Since it was a difficult task, as told to him by the shooters, he gathered more men for his second attempt. He further admitted that in May 2022, Vikram Brar did the recce himself and gave a supari (murder contract) to Santosh Jadhav to kill Sidhu. 

In May 2022, Goldy Brar sent shooters named Kashish, Ankit, Rupa, Deepak, Mundi, Priyavarat, Manpreet to kill the singer. Bishnoi also informed the NIA of how he wired money to Goldy Brar in Canada and how the entire plan was managed by people sitting in Canada and Dubai. 

Since his murder, the Anti-Gangster Task Force along with central and state police teams have made 23 arrests of people from India, Nepal, Dubai, and Azerbaijan who were associated with the case. Two shooters, Jagroop Singh and Manpreet Singh, were encountered by the Punjab Police in Bhakna village, Amritsar. 

The Punjab Police has since conducted numerous raids at over 1,000 locations to nab aides of gangster Goldy Brar in a statewide operation. 

Canada-based Goldy Brar is a prime accused in the Sidhu Moosewala murder. He is on the list of the '25 Most Wanted criminals' list and is also wanted by Interpol.