Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi has admitted that he was the "mastermind" in Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala's killing and the planning was going on since last August, Punjab Police ADGP Pramod Ban said on Thursday.
Mr. Ban, who is also the head of the Anti-Gangster Task Force, said another accused, Baldev alias Nikku, a resident of Haryana's Sirsa district, was arrested on Thursday.
Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, also known as Sidhu Moosewala, was shot dead in Mansa district on May 29, a day after the Punjab government pruned the security cover of the singer and 423 people temporarily.
"We had recently arrested Lawrence Bishnoi in the case and his remand was extended till June 27. He has admitted that he was the mastermind (in Moosewala's killing)," Mr. Ban told reporters here.
"The plan to carry out the killing was being hatched since August last year. According to our information, recce was done thrice. In January too, a different group of shooters had come to kill Moosewala but could not do so," the ADGP said.
"We have arrested 13 people so far and the entire conspiracy has been unravelled," Mr. Ban said, adding that Lawrence has also admitted to using a mobile phone in Tihar Jail.
Asked if the weapons recovered from the arrested shooters in the case by the Delhi Police were used in Moosewala's killing, he said they are waiting for the forensic analysis.
"We will have to get those weapons forensic checked to see whether those were used in this case, that is part of the investigation." Mr. Ban said that fake passports made outside Punjab were used by Lawrence's brother Anmol and his associate Sachin Thapan to travel abroad earlier this year.
Bishnoi made them settle abroad from where they could coordinate, facilitate and successfully execute the crime without being noticed or held culpable, the police officer said.
A separate FIR has been lodged in Mohali in connection with the case of the fake passport, he said.
Bishnoi has confessed to hatching the conspiracy with Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar, Sachin Thapan and Anmol, he said.
Mr. Ban said the police have got details of associates, weapons suppliers, financers and others helping this gang in various activities. The police in various districts of the State have arrested 19 people linked to this gang.
The ADGP said a Punjab Police team is in the national capital for the questioning of arrested shooter Priyavrat alias Fauji and others who are in the custody of the Delhi Police.
Arrests made in Moosewala murder case
He said that within hours of Moosewala's killing, the Punjab Police made the first arrest in the case. Some of the accused involved in the crime had reached Mansa three to four days before the crime.
"As far as the arrest of the other accused goes, eight to nine teams of the Anti-Gangster Task Force are at the job. We are also in touch with other states and are hopeful of nabbing them soon," the ADGP said.
About the accused arrested on Thursday, Mr. Ban said Baldev was the main person who carried out recce with Sandeep, who has also been arrested. Baldev took a selfie with Moosewala and he spoke to Goldy Brar and Sachin Thapan over the phone and passed on information to the conspirators who had direct contact with the shooters, he said.
A court in Mansa had recently extended the police remand of Lawrence Bishnoi who was brought to the state by the Punjab Police from Delhi last week for questioning in the Moosewala murder case.
The Delhi Police had arrested three persons, including two shooters, in the case, officials had said on Monday adding that one of them was in touch with Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar at the time of the incident.
Eight grenades along with an under-barrel grenade launcher, nine electric detonators, one assault rifle along with 20 cartridges, three sophisticated pistols, 36 rounds and part of an AK series assault rifle had been seized from them, police said.
The explosives were a part of a backup plan in case the weapons did not function, they had said, adding the accused were identified as Priyavrat alias Fauji (26), a resident of Sonipat in Haryana, Kashish (24), also from the state's Jhajjar district, and Keshav Kumar (29), a resident of Bhatinda in Punjab.
The police had said that Priyavrat led a team of shooters and was in direct contact with Brar at the time of the incident. He is the main shooter and executioner of the murder, the Delhi Police had said.
