NIA searches under way in 70 locations across 8 states in Lawrence Bishnoi-Neeraj Bawana network case

The case pertains to conspiracy hatched by the members of criminal syndicate based in India and abroad to raise funds and recruit youth for heinous crimes

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday was conducting raids across the nation at more than 70 locations belonging to gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi, Neeraj Bawana and their aides.

The raids were conducted in Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chandigarh and Uttar Pradesh.

The raids started early Tuesday morning and are currently going on.

Lawrence Bishnoi was placed under arrest by the NIA on November 24, 2022 in connection with a case related to conspiracy hatched by terrorists, gangsters and drug smugglers' syndicate to create terror among the public.

His arrest was made when he was lodged in the Bhatinda Jail.

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The case pertains to conspiracy hatched by the members of criminal syndicate based in India and abroad, to raise funds, recruit youth to carry out terrorist acts in Delhi and other parts of the country to execute spectacular heinous crimes, including targeted killings of prominent persons, with an intention to strike terror in the minds of the people of the country.

The case was initially registered at police station Special Cell, Delhi Police on August 4, 2022 and later on the probe of the matter was taken over by the NIA.

"We have learnt that the terrorist-gangster-drug smugglers syndicate led by Bishnoi was involved in many targeted killings and extortion from businessmen, professionals, including doctors.

This had created a widespread scare and terror among the public at large. All such criminal acts were not isolated local incidents but part of a deep-rooted conspiracy amongst the terrorists, gangsters, drug smuggling cartels and networks, operating from both within and outside the country," the NIA had earlier said.

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The NIA found that most of the conspiracies were hatched from inside the jail by Bishnoi and were executed by an organised network of operatives based in India and abroad. Pertinently, the arrested gangster is involved and wanted in many cases, including the conspiracy to carry out targeted and sensational killings in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi for more than a decade.

Bishnoi along with his brothers Sachin and Anmol Bishnoi and associates, including Goldy Brar, Kala Jathedi, Kala Rana, Bikram Brar and Sampat Nehra were also raising funds to carry out all such terror/criminal activities through smuggling of drugs and weapons and widespread extortions.

Further investigations in the matter are on.