Ranchi: On Saturday, February 3rd, the Punjab Police's Anti-Gangster Task Force announced the arrest of Mandeep Singh, alias Chotta Mani, a close associate of notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Chotta Mani is accused of providing safe havens for the assailants involved in the killing of the controversial singer-turned-politician Sidhu Moosewala.
Chotta Mani, along with an accomplice named Jatinder Singh, was apprehended in Manimajra, with the police seizing two .32 caliber pistols and 12 live cartridges from their possession. Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav disclosed that the arrest followed credible information about Chotta Mani's presence in the Zirakpur area, leading to the operation by the Anti-Gangster Task Force.
DGP Yadav stated that Chotta Mani facilitated hideouts for Moosewala's killers, who fatally shot the singer in May 2022. Both accused individuals were actively associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar gangs, possessing a criminal history. They face charges of attempted murder, extortion, robbery, and offenses under the Arms Act in Chandigarh and Haryana.
Preliminary investigations revealed that foreign handlers instructed the accused to carry out targeted killings of rival gang members. Assistant Inspector General Sandeep Goel elaborated that Bishnoi aimed to assist Chotta Mani in settling abroad, sending him to Dubai three times to facilitate entry into Europe. However, Chotta Mani's attempts failed, leading to his return to India.
Goel further explained that in 2022, Chotta Mani, along with associates Sachin Thapan, Deepak Mundi, and Joginder Joga – all involved in the Moosewala murder – received directions from foreign handlers to commit the crime. These instructions allegedly came from Ayodhya-based politician Vikas Singh, who was later arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in November 2023.
Sidhu Moosewala, also known as Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, was assassinated in Mansa, Punjab, on May 29, 2022, a day after the AAP-led Punjab government withdrew his security. The 28-year-old, associated with the Congress party, hailed from the village Moosa in Mansa, Punjab.
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